Bright New Dawn
by Northern Cross
Summary: Riku’s first mission for the Organization- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats’ cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organization and inside, have different plans…
1. Twilight and Mist

Title- Bright New Dawn

Summary- Riku's first mission for the Organization- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats' cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organization and inside, have different plans…

Disclaimer- I do not hold the rights to either Square or Disney. If I did, Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories would come out in Britain much sooner.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Huge ones for Chain of Memories. You've been warned.

Bright New Dawn

Chapter One- Twilight and Mist

The markets of Twilight Town were, as usual, loud and busy. To be heard, you had to shout, thus making the person next to you shout louder to be heard over you. Mixed in with this miasma of noise was the _cluck _and _baa _of frightened animals, the laughter of children chasing each other through the narrow, winding streets that led off from the marketplace, and the peals of the bell that overlooked the train station. It was a town tradition by now, and anyone who tried to change the system so the casual shopper could actually be heard would probably be accused of not being in the spirit of things.

Riku wandered down the steep road that led to the marketplace, the bottom of his cloak already pitted and dusty from the coarse gravel. He had been walking for days now, refreshing the red-bandaged man's instructions in the back of his mind.

'_The train station of Twilight Town. You have seen it in Sora's memories- now, see it for yourself. Give the operator the password, and he will admit you and Mickey.'_

'_And what's the password?'_

_His mouth, the only part of his body that was visible, twisted into a smile. 'If you are a true member of the Organization, you will know.'_

'Great. Just wonderful,' he said to Mickey, who looked up at him. 'Like me putting on this coat gave me some new powers of deduction. The only powers this coat's given me so far is the ability to trip over the hem and look like an idiot.'

'Hey,' Mickey replied, his own coat equally dusty, 'that only happened twice, and I was the only fella who saw.'

They walked into the marketplace. The bickering died almost immediately as people began to notice them, silence rippling throughout the crowd until, soon, the square was so quiet that the crunch of the dark-coated pair's boots on the ground was the only noise. Riku turned to Mickey, who shrugged his shoulders.

A trio of children, one just old enough to walk, ran giggling through the marketplace and into the path that had opened to let Riku and Mickey through. Coming to a halt, both of the older boys disappeared into the crowd as fast as they could, while the younger one couldn't keep up, skidding and falling over. Riku moved forward, reaching out to help him up. 'Are you okay?'

The child scrambled backwards from Riku's hand, an expression of terror on his face. Confused, Riku stepped forward to keep up with him.

'Keep away from me!' the young boy shouted.

As the child disappeared into the mass of people, Riku got up, looking around at hundreds of people avoiding his gaze. At the back of the crowd, a baby whimpered in its mother's arms.

_What have you got yourself into here, Riku? _he thought bitterly, walking towards the steps of the train station, with Mickey at his side.

* * *

'So. Larxene and Marluxia are dead, as per your instructions.' 

Axel smiled. 'I just like following orders.'

The grey-haired man turned from the window, his wintry eyes bright and angry. 'And precisely which part of your orders told you to eliminate three of your other comrades, as well?'

'You told me to kill anyone whose loyalty to the Organization was suspect. I just uncovered more plots than you were expecting.'

'Did you ever pause to consider that there may have been a more appropriate time to act on your suspicions?'

'Well, yes. Then I decided I was completely right, and went ahead.'

The older man's eyes sparked at Axel's insolence. 'Well, in your haste to terminate two of the founding members of the Organization, you seem to have overlooked the most important part of your instructions.' He threw a folder on to the table. 'Sora still lives.'

Axel shrugged. 'I did all I could.'

'No, Axel, you didn't. You attacked him when he was at full strength, and fled when the battle turned against you.'

Axel walked around the table. 'That's slander, Ixion.'

Ixion stepped forward, meeting Axel eye-to-eye. 'I don't know what agenda you're advancing, Axel, but leaving a sworn enemy of the Organization alive will not improve your standing with us.'

'Really?' Axel replied. 'Why don't you ask the Superior?'

Not a muscle twitched in Ixion's face, but the sudden flicker of energy between his fingers told Axel that he'd had the desired result.

'Because you never really got our little loyalty exercise cleared by him, did you?' Axel continued, turning away from Ixion. 'I'm still not sure how much he knows about it. Of course, if you'd like to share all the details with him…'

There was silence for a few seconds. 'The fact remains, Axel,' Ixion said, his voice calmer than before, 'that you have created three empty positions in the Organization.'

'I'll find replacements, Ixion,' the red-haired man replied, turning to leave. 'Don't you worry.'

Ixion glared at his retreating back. 'That's not the point.'

'I'm making it the point, boss,' Axel said, grinning over his shoulder. 'See you around.'

He closed the door.

* * *

'Headquarters, is it?' 

An elderly man with thinning brown hair and a seen-it-all-before expression looked expectantly at Riku from behind his desk. The train operator was the only person Riku had met in Twilight Town so far that didn't go quiet and try not to meet his looks. He wasn't sure whether that was less disconcerting, or more.

'Um, yeah.'

The man was quiet for a few seconds, obviously expecting Riku to continue his sentence. When nothing else was forthcoming, he said patiently, 'You have to give the password. Otherwise you could just be some guy playing dress-up.'

_Dammit…_

Riku thought for a second._ What would they use as a password? It's got to be something that you'd only know if you were a member of the Organization. Something…_

And, suddenly, the answer came to him.

'Oblivion,' he replied.

The elderly man nodded. 'Come this way.' He got up, with Riku and Mickey following behind him. Walking to a faded green door, he selected a key from the dozens at his belt and, muttering, crammed it into the lock. He turned the handle, and the door swung open with a loud, obnoxious _creak._

Riku walked forward onto what turned out to be a train platform. Old, rusty rails ran into the distance above a rough gravel path. Scattered around the platform were wooden benches that looked like they'd be slightly less comfortable to sit on than the ground.

The operator walked into an old-fashioned ticket office across from the doorway. 'I'll need payment, as well.'

'Do you want it in munny?' Mickey called.

He reacted, apparently only just noticing the diminutive king. 'Normally, yes, but you're travelling on a special train. Payment's got to be something valuable to you- I know you black-coated guys got enough munny to buy this town five times over, so I'll need something different.'

Riku sighed. _When did everything get so complicated? _Digging into the pocket of his coat, his hand closed on a flat, cold shape. He took the card out of his coat, displaying it to the operator.

'Will this do?'

The elderly man looked up. 'What is it?'

'A lot of my memories are in this card,' Riku replied, remembering the feel of salt air on his face as he spoke. 'This allowed me to see my friends again before I came here. It's worth a lot to me.'

He handed it to the operator, who looked over his glasses. 'Destiny Islands? Never heard of it… but it feels like it's important to you. Okay, I'll take that as payment. And you, little guy?'

Mickey withdrew a small wooden object from his coat. 'My seal. You see a letter with that on, you know it's from me.'

The operator laughed. 'So, you're important enough to have your own seal, then… alright, I'll bite. Get on board.'

'On board what?' Riku asked testily, indicating the empty platform. 'Thin air?'

'You really are clueless, aren't you?' the elderly man replied. 'Go over there, where you're pointing. Go to the other side of the platform.'

Feeling uncomfortably like he was being tested, Riku walked over to the gap between the platforms. Swinging his legs over the side, he dropped down-

only for his head to collide with the train, making a resounding _clang._

'What the hell was that?' Riku shouted, moving his hand in front of him. Nothing but thin air, as far as he could see… but he could feel a cool metal surface with his fingers. 'Are you telling me we're meant to get on an _invisible train?'_

The man laughed. 'I thought you guys were all about secrecy?'

'Yeah, well, I'm new.' Rubbing his head, Riku got up. 'How do we get on this thing, then?'

'There should be a handle right about where your head is. Turn it.'

Riku reached up, feeling blindly, until his hand felt a raised area on the side of the train. Moving his hand further down it, he found the handle. Pulling down on it, he heard a _clunk _from inside the train, and the door swung open.

This had the effect of creating what, to the casual observer, would look like a portal hovering a couple of feet off the ground. It led to a soft wooden cabin illuminated by candles, with a table and several chairs in the centre, as well as what looked to Riku to be a well-stocked drinks cabinet. Despite himself, Riku was impressed.

'Get on board,' the operator said, indicating the train. 'It'll set off once you close the door. Oh, yeah. Don't slam it, 'cause you guys have to pay for the upkeep of your own trains just like everyone else.'

With a raised eyebrow, he disappeared back into the ticket office. Riku shrugged, and clambered on board. Mickey, who had been watching the whole thing and trying not to laugh, jumped from the platform into the cabin.

He slid the train door closed, and the pair disappeared from sight.

* * *

'Word's been getting around, Axel. Apparently Ixion is none too happy about your behaviour.' 

Axel offered a glass of clear liquid to the raven-haired woman sitting in his chair. 'I'm not surprised. I think I was supposed to bow more, and call him 'sir.''

'He prefers 'our great leader', I think.' The woman sat, sipping her drink. 'So, what are you going to do?'

Axel scowled. 'There's a limit to how much I can push Ixion, unfortunately. I said I'd find three guys- or girls, sorry- capable of succeeding Zexion, Lexaeus and Vexen, so that's what I've got to do.'

He got up, pacing around the room. 'Which wouldn't be so much of a problem, seeing as Lexaeus was dumb as a stump and Zexion was the biggest wuss I've ever met, except they also have to have rejected both light and darkness. Kind of rare, you know. It's either got to be shells strong enough to survive the forcible removal of their heart, or people who've just been screwed over by both.'

'Wait,' the woman said, as something occurred to her, 'we have five vacant posts. So why do you only have to recruit three people?'

'Oh, you didn't hear?' Axel said, stopping his pacing. 'The Superior has recruited two, personally, from Castle Oblivion.'

'Are they powerful?'

'One of them is a mouse.'

She raised an eyebrow. 'Interesting.'

Axel sat down again. 'The other one is Riku. You remember Riku, don't you, Beatrix?'

'I think you told me about him a few weeks ago,' she replied. 'The failed Keyblade Master, am I correct?'

'Well, yes,' Axel said, waving a hand, 'but he's become a lot more than that recently. He killed Lexaeus and rejected both the darkness and the light. Dealt with Vexen's little experiment, as well, which meant one more loose thread I didn't have to tie up.' He grinned. 'I've become quite fond of the kid. He keeps doing my work for me.'

Beatrix took another sip from her glass. 'When can we expect them to arrive?'

'The Superior sent them to Twilight Town, so they'll probably turn up in a few days. As a matter of fact, I'm planning on staying around to welcome them.'

'And why is that?' she asked, looking shrewdly at Axel. 'What are you planning?'

Axel chuckled, refilling his glass.

* * *

'So, why'd you quit?' 

Mickey looked over at Riku. 'Huh?'

'You were a king, weren't you? Seems like a pretty cushy life to me. Personal guard, your own castle, concubines…' He laughed. 'Did you have concubines?'

'No, I didn't!' Mickey replied, affronted. 'I was married.'

'Really?' Riku smiled. 'Good for you. Is she still…'

'Yeah, far as I know, she's still livin' happily in the castle. Probably steamin' mad at me, but hey, she's a smart girl. She can run the place on her own.'

'Why'd you quit, then?' Riku asked. 'Doesn't seem like the kind of thing you walk away from if you get a choice.'

Mickey paused. 'All sorts of reasons, really. There was some stuff I'd read about the Heartless made it clear that sittin' in your castle with your feet up wasn't the appropriate thing to do. I knew who was behind it, which was more than Leon or any of the others did, so…'

Riku looked at Mickey, surprised. 'You knew Ansem? How?'

'I met him once, back when he was king of Hollow Bastion. He talked all sorts of stuff out of me- gummi blocks, the walls between worlds, the Keyblade, all that. 'Course, it was only after that I discovered the experiments he'd been doin' on those poor souls.' Mickey gazed into the distance. 'Had to get out of there before he found out I'd rumbled him.'

'Right.' Riku nodded. 'But why so suddenly?'

''Cause I knew that if I told Donald and Goofy I was goin', they'd want to tag along, and I needed them to help out your friend.' Mickey dropped down from his seat. 'They've done okay by him, haven't they?'

'_You'd betray your king?'_

'_Not on your life!' the dog-man replied, raising his shield. 'But I'm not gonna betray Sora either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together!'_

_He called over to the other person, standing on Riku's right. 'See ya later, Donald! Could you tell the king I'm really sorry?'_

'_We'll tell him together!' the duck shouted, abandoning Riku to stand with Sora._

'I don't think Sora could have asked for two more loyal friends,' Riku replied, half-smiling at the memory.

* * *

'We've got word from the border. The train has passed into our world, with both of the new recruits on board.' The young, bald man waited to hear Ixion's reply. 

'When are they expected to arrive?'

He glanced at the note he'd been given. 'They're on the Twilight Town line, so… about ten minutes. Do you want me to meet them at the station, or…'

'I'll need you to familiarise them with the castle as soon as possible, Abraxas, so you should probably greet them. Just don't allow Axel to be the first one of us that they talk to.'

Abraxas nodded, and turned away. At the doorway, he turned back. 'Ixion, pardon me if it isn't my place, but why don't you trust Axel? You asked him to prove his worth to the Organization by eliminating the rebel faction in Castle Oblivion, and he's done so spectacularly, if perhaps a little over-enthusiastically.'

'I still have doubts about him,' Ixion replied. 'Even if every casualty of Castle Oblivion was disloyal to the Superior, which I highly doubt, he seems to regard his brethren in the Organization with… amusement, if not disdain. His new assignment should teach him to only eliminate fellow members of the Organization as a last resort.'

'And if not?'

Ixion turned to Abraxas, smiling in a way that the younger man found unsettling. 'Then Castle Oblivion will have claimed the lives of everyone sent there.'

* * *

The train drew to a halt. Riku could see nothing but mist out of the windows. 'Do you know where we are?' 

Mickey shook his head. 'No idea what world we're in. Guess this is the Organization's headquarters.'

'Guess so.' Riku pulled down on the lever, opening the door.

Through the blanket of fog, Riku could make out a vague shape in the distance. _It's some kind of building. That's got to be their headquarters._

He stepped out of the carriage. The ground underneath was a deep purple, and it felt dry and hard underfoot. He heard Mickey drop from the train, and turned to him. 'Purple rock? Who designed this place?'

'Hey, beats me.'

Riku stepped forward, seeing a definite path in the mist ahead. 'You see that?'

'Probably leads to where we need to go,' Mickey replied.

An amused voice came from somewhere above them. 'Funnily enough, that actually leads to a thousand-foot drop. Extra insurance against people who aren't supposed to be here.'

Riku whirled around. 'Who's there?'

'But,' the voice continued, 'you are supposed to be here, so, hilarious as it would be, I'm not going to sit here and watch you throw yourself off a mountain.' The black-coated man dropped from the roof of the train. 'You're Riku, you're Mickey. I'm Axel. Follow me.'

Riku's hand disappeared into his coat, gripping the hilt of his weapon. 'My experiences with you people haven't been good, so you'll pardon me if I'm a little sceptical. One of you disguised yourself as my best friend and tried to drive me mad, one set a clone of myself to kill me, and the other one just smacked me around Castle Oblivion for five minutes straight. So why should I trust you any more?'

'Well, you're one of us now,' Axel replied, 'so if you're going to hold grudges against the Organization you're going to have to hate and despise yourself.' He grinned. 'But you were probably planning on that anyway, so…'

Mickey stepped between the two. 'Hey, there, we don't want any unpleasantness. Axel, where are you headed?'

The red-haired man indicated the castle in the distance. 'The Organization headquarters. The path that leads there is off to the right a bit, so follow me or I'll leave you in the fog.' He began to walk. 'Make your mind up.'

Mickey moved forward. 'Come on, Riku. It's not like he's gonna hurt us when his boss sent us here.' He looked back, beamed at Riku, and followed the path upwards.

Riku sighed, and followed Axel into the mist.

* * *

Author's Notes- 

Riku is my favourite Kingdom Hearts character. Axel is my favourite Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories character. You see where the idea for this fic came from?

Just so you know, Sora probably won't be appearing in this, except in flashback form. Those who've played Chain of Memories know why. Since I'm determined not to spoil the _entire _game in this one chapter, I won't say why.

Those who read this chapter before the tenth of February (all three of you) may notice that Ixion and Axel's conversation's been completely changed, as well as a few bits of dialogue here and there. I now have a plot for this fic, which is why it needed to be altered. Yeah, I have a plot. Fear me.

Thanks for reading, y'all.


	2. Trials and Tribulations

Title- Bright New Dawn

Summary- Riku's first mission for the Organization- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats' cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organization and inside, have different plans…

Disclaimer- I do not hold the rights to either Square or Disney. If I did, Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories would come out in Britain much sooner.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Huge ones for Chain of Memories. You've been warned.

Bright New Dawn

Chapter Two- Trials and Tribulations

Axel walked deceptively fast, his angular, sloping saunter disguising an unnerving speed that left Riku and Mickey behind in the fog. Riku could vaguely make out the shape of two weapons inside his closed hands- circular, with sharp points jutting out at regular intervals. _So either he's prepared for an attack, or he just likes to show off._

'Hurry up, you two!' the red-haired man called. 'It's not that far! Hell, if you want, I'll carry the both of you!'

_Probably the second one._

Riku watched as Axel came to a sudden halt, his weapons disappearing in a puff of light. As his eyes adjusted to the mist, he saw that he'd run into another member of the Organization- a tall man not much older than Riku himself, thin and wiry, and completely bald.

Axel was talking to the man, animatedly. 'It's alright, I've got the situation under control.'

'Ixion said that I was to escort the two new recruits to the castle,' Abraxas replied. 'Well, he actually said that you _weren't _to escort them to the castle.'

Axel pouted. 'Sometimes I get the feeling he doesn't trust me.'

'It's nothing personal. He just thinks I'd be better at showing them around.'

'Well, I suppose you've got to be good for something,' Axel said, smiling like a tiger. 'Fine, take them. But I'm going to have words with Ixion about this.'

'I'm sure he was expecting nothing else,' the bald man said, a darkness in his eyes the only indication that Axel's insult had hit home.

Axel turned to Riku and Mickey. 'Abraxas here's going to show you around Headquarters. I've got to talk to our boss, who you'll probably meet shortly.' As he walked behind Abraxas, he mouthed something that resembled 'complete wanker' before disappearing into the mist.

Abraxas stepped forward. 'Welcome to the Organization, both of you.' He drew a piece of paper from the pocket of his coat. 'Sorry, I have to ask a few questions. First of all, who have you spoken to between leaving Castle Oblivion and arriving here?'

Riku looked at Mickey, who shrugged. 'Just the operator,' he replied. 'Oh, and a kid in Twilight Town, but that wasn't really a conversation.'

The bald man looked dubious. 'Alright. Second question, what weapons do you have on you?'

Riku slowly reached into his coat, pulling out the vicious-looking blade that Diz had given him. 'This is my only weapon. The man who gave it me called it the Soul Eater.'

Abraxas raised his eyebrows. 'Yes, I'm familiar with it. What about you, Mickey?'

The king reached into the air, light coalescing around his outstretched hand. As Abraxas and Riku watched, it formed a Keyblade, the reverse of Sora's weapon- gold where the boy had had silver, and silver where he'd had gold, with a blue band around the hilt.

'The Negative Keyblade…' Abraxas said slowly, as if something was dawning on him. He shook his head. 'Third question. Which members of the Organization have you encountered?'

Riku laughed bitterly. 'I've… _encountered _three in Castle Oblivion. Zexion, Vexen, and some bruiser who I'm pretty sure was called Lexaeus. Between then and now, I've only met Axel.'

'Same as him,' Mickey said, 'exceptin' Vexen. I didn't meet him.'

Abraxas made a few notes on his sheet. 'That all seems to make sense.' He gestured towards the castle, an indistinct shape that loomed over them. 'Follow me, and I'll introduce you to a few more.'

* * *

'This is where I'm sleeping? Holy hell.' 

Riku stepped inside, not caring that Abraxas was making notes with a disapproving look on his face. The room was decorated in much the same way as the train had been- dark, red-tinged wood that shone in the chilly mid-morning light. Shelves of thick, serious-looking books took up the entirety of one wall, stacked haphazardly and seemingly at random. A bed, large and luxurious with simple white sheets, lay under the windows, along with the ever-present drinks cabinet.

'So you're impressed, then?' the bald man asked, stepping into the room with Mickey, who looked around the room with a grin. Riku, turning back to face Abraxas, nodded.

'You certainly know how to make a good impression, I'll give you that,' he replied. 'The operator wasn't kidding when he said the Organization was rich.'

Abraxas shook his head. 'This castle was a gift from the Superior. One of the many things he's given to us to help us achieve our goals.'

_Who exactly is that guy, anyway? _Riku bit back his next question. Instead he said, taking a book at random from the precarious shelves, 'He must be a generous kind of person.'

Riku thought he saw something like anger on Abraxas' face as he answered. 'He gives us many things, and all he asks in return is complete obedience to the cause. Those who betray him betray their brothers and sisters in the Organization, as well…' And now there was a smile on his face. Not a pleasant smile. 'I think you've seen how the Organization deals with those who betray it.'

'Yeah, vengeance, blood, many unkind words exchanged, yadda yadda,' Riku answered. 'Trust me, Abraxas, I'm not here to betray anyone.'

The bald man nodded. 'Good. I'll return in ten minutes. Until then, make yourselves comfortable in your respective rooms,' he said, indicating a smaller door across the corridor that Riku assumed was intended for Mickey's use.

As Abraxas walked away down the corridor, Riku replaced the book on the shelf. 'So, what do you think so far, Mickey?'

'Well, for a start, I'm thinkin' that the Organization weren't just feudin' in Castle Oblivion. That spiky-haired fella and Abraxas didn't seem to much like each other.'

'You got that impression too, eh?' Riku said, half-laughing.

'We're meant to be meetin' some bigwigs shortly, but Abraxas never sounded much keen on 'em when he talked about 'em earlier. I'm thinkin'…' Mickey looked out the room to check that Abraxas had gone, then continued. 'I'm thinkin' that, for all Abraxas said about how the Organization's got one agenda, everyone in this castle's got at least two extra.'

Riku sighed. 'Probably.' Mickey crossed the hall, pushing open the door that Abraxas had indicated.

Riku fought back a laugh. The room was almost exactly the same as the one Riku'd been given, with the one difference that everything was half as large- miniature books were stacked on a tiny shelf, next to a selection of egg-cup-sized glasses. Even the ceiling was lower, and Riku had to duck to get in.

The mouse looked up at Riku, mock-seriously. 'This ain't a small room, Riku. This is the right size. It's you tall fellas who have odd-sized rooms.'

'Right, sure,' Riku replied, grinning. 'You keep telling yourself that, Mickey.' He backed out of the doorway, tapping his foot as Mickey explored the room.

Looking to his side, he noticed that the mantelpiece he had passed on his way in had a group of oil portraits hanging over it. He walked to it, furrowing his eyebrows. They were arranged in a line of thirteen, each showing the face of what Riku assumed were the members of the Organization, with a larger portrait of the red-bandaged man hanging above them all.

The picture on the far left showed a greying man with long hair, flinty eyes looking out from a thin, lined face. Underneath, a small silver plaque was attached to the wall, reading simply 'Ixion. One.'

_So that's Ixion, _Riku thought. He ran his eyes along the line of portraits, noticing a run of blank portraits from 'Four' to 'Six' and stopping when he reached a particularly striking one, such as a young woman with bright green hair- 'Exira. Ten.' At the far right end was Abraxas, looking determined with a set jaw, and between them was-

'What the hell?' Riku said, stepping forward. His face looked back at him, above the legend 'Riku. Twelve.' Looking to the left, he saw Mickey, looking serious and accompanied by 'Mickey. Eleven.'

Looking closer, he saw that his and Mickey's paintings were different to the others. Unlike those on either side of him, neither he nor the king were wearing their Organization cloaks, pictured instead in the clothes they had worn in Castle Oblivion. 'Mickey, come and have a look at this!' he called, examining his portrait.

Mickey poked his head out of the doorway, reacting when he saw his and Riku's paintings. He walked slowly towards the mantelpiece, looking at his likeness warily.

'Well, that's mighty spooky.' He looked from his to Riku's, and back again. 'You notice that-'

'-we're the only ones not wearing our cloaks?' Riku finished for him. 'Yeah, I noticed. Maybe we're not considered proper members yet.'

'Give that man a prize,' someone said, behind them. A woman's voice.

Riku turned, to see a tall woman with dark eyes and disconcertingly pale skin. She wore a black cloak, and Riku realised he'd seen her portrait when he was browsing the wall.

'Beatrix, right?' he asked.

'Well, aren't you smart?' she replied. 'Two correct observations in a row.'

Mickey stepped forward. 'Nice to meet you, Beatrix.'

She nodded. 'Uh-huh. So, you're the two that the Superior recruited from Castle Oblivion.' Stepping towards them, she inspected the two more closely. 'You've got to be Riku. Axel's told me a lot about you… which would make you Mickey.'

Riku reacted, surprised. 'What's he been saying about me?'

She smiled. 'Nothing that I can't guess from ten seconds of talking to you.'

_Oh, so this is going to be one of those conversations. _'You said that we weren't full members of the Organization yet?' Riku said, letting her comment pass.

'No. You've apparently impressed the Superior, and normally that would be enough, but some of us aren't convinced that anyone with a heart can truly renounce both light and darkness.' She moved away from them, continuing to talk. 'Ixion isn't very happy about having people like you in the Organization- no offence intended, that's just what he thinks- and you're going to want to stay on his good side, at least until you've got some experience in dealing with him.'

Riku groaned. 'Another test?'

'I'd call it more an initiation ceremony. We weren't going to tell you about it beforehand, but Axel thought it was only fair that you knew.' She smiled again, with an unpleasant glint in her eye. 'He really does have your best interests at heart, Riku. Bear that in mind for the future.'

'If you say so,' Riku replied.

Mickey spoke up. 'When's this test gonna happen, then?'

'Tonight. Don't say anything to Abraxas- after all, no-one likes a tattle-tale.' With one final look at Riku, she disappeared from sight.

Riku glanced at Mickey. 'Ever wish you'd just stayed at home?'

* * *

The catacombs under the Organization's castle were strange and meandering. Exira had tried to chart them once, but they seemed to twist in on themselves when she wasn't looking, blocking entrances and leading inexorably down. Dark things scurried in the shadows, and she'd been sure that as she descended she could hear vast, echoing breathing from the walls around her. By some miracle she'd found her way out, and had sworn to never set foot there again. 

So, of course, that was where Ixion had decided to hold the boy's trial. Exira swore under her breath as she stepped into the rocky corridor that led downwards from the castle's basement. 'You couldn't have asked Ixion to hold this little event somewhere else, I suppose?'

Axel, accompanying her, looked amused. 'I'm not in Ixion's good books at the moment. Technically, I'm not supposed to go within fifty feet of the new guys.'

'Why's that?'

'He's worried that I'll corrupt them.'

Exira raised her eyebrows. 'Before he gets a chance to, you mean?'

Axel laughed. 'Exactly. He wants Riku and Mickey on his side, not on Diz's, or mine, or, worse still, on their own side. He's planning something.'

'He's always planning something.' She looked at Axel. 'What actually happened in Castle Oblivion? All I've heard is hearsay and Ixion's blustering.'

The red-haired man paused. 'Okay, this is complicated. You might want to take notes.'

He walked out into the shadowy cavern at the bottom of the corridor, lighting his torch from a brazier on the wall. 'Ixion wanted the Keyblade Master dead.'

'What?' Exira entered the cavern behind him. 'Why?'

'He thought that he was a threat to the balance. Too much light in him, too little darkness. He actually sought him out a month or so ago in Hollow Bastion to kill him, which is not something many people know. Even less know that our great leader proceeded to get his ass handed to him by a fourteen-year-old with a magic key.'

She giggled. 'He couldn't kill Sora?'

'He changed his mind. Decided that the Keyblade Master was too valuable a weapon to dispose of immediately.'

Axel walked into the centre of the room, punctuating his story by waves and thrusts of his torch. 'So he sent me, Larxene, and Marluxia to Castle Oblivion. I was there to mastermind his plan, or so he told me. The other two were there to die.'

'What he didn't tell me,' Axel continued, 'was that he'd sent Zexion and that ignorant rock-man Lexaeus there as well. You following me so far?'

Exira nodded.

'Good, 'cause it gets more complicated. The plan was for either Sora to kill our traitors, or for our traitors to off the Keyblade Master. Either way, it was my responsibility to kill whoever was left, as well as that girl Naminé. The bit he _didn't _tell me was that Lexaeus and Zexion were there to ensure I didn't leave the castle, either.'

'He wanted you dead?' Exira asked.

'He thought I was unreliable. But I don't take it personally.'

She sat down on a flat lump of shapeless rock, brushing her hair away from her face. 'So if it'd all gone to plan, the only potential rebellion in the whole Organization would be-'

'His own, yes.' Axel smiled. 'But it didn't all go to plan. I don't know how much of the plan Diz knew about, but he knew enough to introduce a wild card into the mix.'

'Riku.'

'Right. They tried to control him. It didn't end happily for either of them, since by interfering with someone they knew to be a protegé of the Superior they'd given me a reason to do unto them before they did unto me. And as for Sora… well, he's currently marinating in a memory tank. I'm afraid I wasn't able to kill him.'

'Weren't you supposed to attack him _after_ he fought Marluxia? You know, when he was exhausted and weakened, as opposed to fully powered and pissed-off?'

'Funny, that's what Ixion said. I guess I just got my orders confused.'

Exira didn't believe that for a second. Axel didn't expect her to. He grinned. 'Now, let's get prepared for this trial. Did you have a look at Vexen's notes?'

She nodded. 'They're disorganised and sort of illogical, but I think I can see what he's getting at. When do you want it done by?'

'The trial starts at midnight. By then?'

'Okay.'

* * *

Riku could feel gravel under his feet. Near him, he assumed, was Mickey, whose smaller feet pattered over the rocks. The air felt musty and dank. He wasn't, however, able to make out anything else of his location, because of the thick blindfold over his eyes. 

He'd been led by the hand down through a bewildering series of tunnels. The dark senses that he'd cultivated in Castle Oblivion had told him that the person leading him was the raven-haired woman from earlier, and that Mickey and another woman were ahead of him. After what seemed like an hour's wandering, they came to a halt, and the pair were told to wait where they were while the trial was prepared.

They'd been waiting there for what seemed like another hour, impatient and uncomfortable. Occasionally a presence would flicker into existence near him- he'd felt Axel's distinctive aura, fiery and uncontrolled, as well as a calmer scent that he associated with Mickey's guide- but no-one had appeared for a while, and Riku was beginning to think that they'd just left him and Mickey there for fun. _Hell, it's what I'd do._

Suddenly, Riku felt several auras flare around him. There was Beatrix's, the woman that had led Mickey through the labyrinth, and a metallic one that set Riku's teeth on edge. From behind him, he felt someone begin to undo his blindfold.

When he could see again, he found himself in a wide, rocky cavern. Looking behind him, he could see the green-haired woman that he'd noticed on the wall of portraits undo the fabric around Mickey's eyes. Exira, that was it. He could see that it was Beatrix who'd done his. The third presence was an older, silver-haired man with alert blue eyes.

'Ixion?'

He nodded. 'Indeed.'

Riku took an instant dislike to the man, who was looking at him with undisguised contempt. 'I've been told you've been saying unkind things about us. Not suitable to join the Organization, that kind of thing.'

'Yes, I have.' Ixion sneered. 'And I'll continue to say them until you prove me wrong.'

Riku looked around. 'So, when do we start this trial?'

The grey-haired man gestured to a corridor at the far end of the cavern, leading down. 'Mickey will go first. Then you. There will be three stages to the challenge- a test of your intellect, a test of your ability to fight, and a test of your loyalty to the Organization. You will receive no guidance.'

'Wonderful.' Riku looked at Mickey, who was staring ahead at the corridor apprehensively. 'Good luck, your majesty.'

'Thanks, Riku,' the mouse nodded. Summoning his Keyblade to him in a flash of light that briefly illuminated the cavern, showing Riku that its walls were covered in vaguely unsettling carvings, he walked forward into the darkness.

The next ten minutes were the longest of Riku's life. Exira had disappeared shortly after Mickey began his trial, leaving him with Beatrix and Ixion, who didn't talk much to each other and less to him. As the seconds ticked by, Riku began to worry about Mickey, who for all he knew could be facing a Behemoth in one of the caverns ahead of him.

_A test of intellect, a test of your ability to fight, and a test of your loyalty to the Organization. _It was the last one that was worrying Riku the most. What would he have to do to prove he could follow the strange red-bandaged man without complaint?

Finally, Exira appeared in the cavern again. She nodded to Riku. 'Your turn.'

'How did Mickey do?' Riku asked. She didn't reply. Mentally cursing the day he agreed to join these people, Riku walked towards the rocky corridor.

He made his way down to the bottom in total darkness, slipping every few seconds and bruising his head on the wall whenever the corridor turned a sharp corner. Eventually he came to a well-lit room, illuminated by four torches attached to the walls, and completely plain except for a raised dais in the centre.

Walking slowly into the room, he wasn't entirely surprised when the entrance sealed itself behind him. He edged around the dais, looking to see if there was anything in the room he'd missed.

'Hi.'

Riku turned to where the entrance had been. Axel was standing there, smiling as always. 'Need some help?'

'I thought I didn't get any guidance,' Riku replied, looking at the red-haired man suspiciously. He shrugged.

'Well, you're not supposed to, but Ixion can't sense me from this far away. If you'd like to do this on your own, feel free.'

'Did Mickey get this?'

'No. But then again, I don't really care about him.' As Riku gripped the hilt of the Soul Eater angrily, Axel continued. 'Don't worry, though, he's still alive and well. He's surprisingly good in a fight.'

'So, what now?' Riku asked, indicating the raised platform. 'Do I step on that?'

'Be my guest.'

Riku, still looking at Axel warily, stepped onto the dais. The next thing he knew, he was holding his ears as a deafening rumble shook the room.

'_Do you wish to hear my riddle?'_

'What?' screamed Riku, above the noise.

'_Do you wish to hear my riddle?' _the voice repeated, in a tone of infinite patience. Riku nodded.

'_A prisoner is given a choice,' _it rumbled._ 'If the next thing he says is a truth, he will be hung. If the next thing he says is a lie, he will be beheaded. How can he save himself from death?'_

Riku looked to Axel, who shrugged. 'Damned if I know,' the red-haired man shouted. 'He didn't ask Mickey this.'

Riku was quiet for a few moments, while the walls around him creaked with the tremors. _I know this one, _he thought. _This is just a variation on that tired old two-guards riddle that Kairi used to tell me all the time. If he tells the truth, he'll be hung… if he tells a lie, he'll be beheaded. So…_

Axel walked up to Riku. 'Making any progress?'

'Shut up, Axel. I'm trying to concentrate.'

'Sor-_ry.'_

_If he tells them… no, that doesn't work. But…_

He looked up at the ceiling. 'He tells them that they're going to behead him.'

The voice spoke again, shaking dust from the walls. _'Correct. You may pass.'_

As the echoes died away, the wall in front of him slid to the side, revealing a long corridor lit by the same lamps that illuminated the room. Riku dropped off the dais, walking towards the faintly-visible room at the end of the tunnel.

'Not bad, Riku.' Axel fell into step beside him. 'How did you work that one out?'

'If he tells them that, then they can't hang him, because then he'll have lied when he said he'd be beheaded, and they only hang him if he tells the truth. And if they behead him, he'll have told the truth, and they should have hung him. They can't do either, see?'

Axel nodded. 'That's clever. Of course, 'if you don't let me go I'll incinerate you from the inside out' would have been a better answer.'

'Do you always have to show off, Axel?' Riku asked.

'I don't _have _to…'

The pair, arguing, emerged from the tunnel into a vast cavern. Riku walked forward, noticing a number of unsettling marks in the muddy floor. _Claw marks. Oh, good._

Stepping further into the cavern, he noticed that it was divided in the middle by a stream. He looked at it dubiously, before tentatively prodding at it with his boot. Nothing tried to eat it, so he knelt down, scooping some water into his hand.

From behind him, he heard a growl. The water in his palm slipped to the floor, splashing the bottom of his coat. 'Is that you again, Big Deep Voice Man?'

_Grrrrrrrr._

He turned around. Not three feet from him, looking at him with bared fangs and an expression of dumb fury, was a giant monster. Its horns curved in towards him, mud and blood smeared on their tips. It raised its front leg, letting out another deafening roar.

'A Behemoth. You know, sometimes I hate being right,' Riku said, mostly to himself.

It lunged.

Riku dived to the right, under its raised leg, but the tremors from its landing threw him backwards. Scrambling to his feet, he drew the Soul Eater from his coat, its malevolent green eye looking towards the giant Heartless hungrily.

'All right! Now, _this, _I can help with!'

Axel twisted his bizarre weapons in his hand, sending a fireball towards the Behemoth. Riku felt its heat as it screamed past his head, catching the monster on the jaw. It roared again in pain and rage, stampeding towards the pair.

Again, Riku dived, separating from Axel as the red-haired man leapt over the monster's head. He spun in the air, slashing the blades of his wheels across its horn. The Behemoth whirled its head around with surprising speed, catching Axel as he tried to grab onto its back. He shot backwards, landing on the ground with a painful-sounding _thud._

As Axel cleared his head, Riku rushed the monster, jumping from its front claw to swing from a horn. He brought the Soul Eater down, cutting into its forehead. The monster swung at him with a giant claw, narrowly missing his sword arm. Riku swung again, this time cutting at the base of its central horn.

Suddenly, a beam of darkness shot from the tip of the horn he'd attacked, hitting him square in the chest. Riku managed to keep his hold on the Behemoth, although his ribs felt like they'd been broken by the assault. Through a haze of pain, he saw the monster begin to charge another beam-

only for it to shoot past Riku, impacting on the far wall. For a moment he wondered what had caused the monster to miss him, but then as the Behemoth swung its head, he noticed Axel clinging onto its back, digging into it with his wheels. The Heartless howled, rearing and bucking to shake the man off, who- Riku could hear over the noise of the monster- was laughing like a lunatic.

With this opportunity, Riku braced his legs against the side of the Behemoth's face, jumping to cling to the central horn. He wrapped one arm around it, before slicing with the Soul Eater. This time he caught one of the monster's eyes, causing it to roar even louder than before. It jumped, coming down with a thunderous noise and an impact that shook Axel off its back.

Axel was prepared. He twisted in the air, sending a pair of fireballs at the monster's head, before landing gently on the other side of the stream. Riku felt them as they exploded on the back of its skull. The monster's knees gave way, collapsing to the floor in a shower of dirt and gravel.

Riku dropped from its horn, attacking the monster's face furiously. It snapped at him with teeth thicker than Riku's arm, but it was crippled, unable to get back up. With another few swings of the Soul Eater, the Behemoth roared one last time, then exploded into a black mist. Dimly, Riku could make out the red glare of a freed heart within the smoke.

At the other end of the cavern, another door opened, a tiny pinprick of light in the distance. Axel, brushing dirt off his coat, walked up to Riku. 'Now, _that_ was more fun than riddles, I think you'll agree.'

'Yes, but the riddle guy didn't break my ribs,' Riku replied. 'Come on, let's do this last one.'

They waded through the stream, walking towards the light. After what seemed like a mile of walking, they reached a corridor like the last one, leading towards another room, although this one seemed smaller than the cavern they'd been in. 'You first,' Axel said, pointing.

As he got further into the corridor, he could make out that someone was standing in the room at the end. A woman. _Maybe it's Exira. Or Beatrix._

Getting closer, however, he could see red hair, and a smile that could only belong to one person. _No. It's… It can't be. They wouldn't…_

'Riku!' she called. 'Is that you?'

He stopped dead. Axel almost collided with him.

'What are you waiting for, Riku? That's your third test.'

'That's Kairi!' he hissed.

Axel shrugged. 'What did you expect your loyalty test would be? You can't afford emotional connections as a member of the Organization. More to the point, we can't afford members of the Organization with emotional connections.'

'No.' Riku's mouth was dry. 'No.'

'That's the final test. She's your past, Riku. We're your future.' He grinned, this time a malevolent, almost vampiric grin. 'Kill her, and you'll be one of us. Even Ixion couldn't argue with that.'

'_No!' _Riku pushed Axel aside. 'Are you insane? I'm not going to kill Kairi!'

'Why not?' Axel replied, his normal joking tone replaced by anger. 'She doesn't love you. She loves that Sora kid. If she'd ever had any feelings for you, you wouldn't be here, you'd still be on that island.'

Kairi walked towards them both. 'What's the problem, Riku?'

'Kairi, I…' He trailed off. Turning to Axel, he drew his sword. 'Tell Ixion he can stick his loyalty test. And tell him that a group that doesn't see the difference between solving a riddle and killing your best friend isn't a group I want anything to do with.'

'That's your decision, then?' Axel said, looking from Kairi to Riku and back again.

Riku nodded.

'Fair enough. The way out's down there.' He gestured towards a dark hallway at the far end of the room. 'And you can give Ixion your little message yourself.'

He disappeared in a plume of smoke. So did Kairi.

* * *

'She wasn't real, was she?' 

Axel shook his head. 'Part of Vexen's research. He reckoned he could make temporary mock-ups of people with the appropriate data. Completely insubstantial if you touch them, and they fade after about half an hour, but apparently good enough to fool you.'

'What happened to Mickey?'

'We couldn't get the data for his Queen, so we had to use a replica of you. Not quite the same emotional weight, unfortunately.' Axel stood up, smirking. 'You'll be pleased to know that he refused to kill you.'

'So what happens now, then?' Riku asked. 'Do we leave the Organization?'

'No, although Ixion would undoubtedly like that. Diz has accepted you, and Ixion can't go against a direct order from him- well, not when people are looking, anyway. Be prepared for him to make your life very difficult, however.'

Riku nodded. 'I wasn't expecting anything else.'

Axel turned to go, but there was something troubling Riku. 'Hold up, Axel.'

'What?'

'You said that you needed the Queen's data to create a replica, but you couldn't get it. So…'

'Yes?' replied Axel, knowing what the next question was going to be, and enjoying immensely the thought of answering it.

'Where did you get Kairi's data from?'

'Well, that's simple, Riku. I got it when I talked to her the other day.'

Axel grinned.

* * *

Author's Notes- 

First of all, yes, I will be calling DiZ 'Diz' throughout this whole fic. I'm not going to punish my readers because the Chain of Memories translators couldn't find the capslock key. If the bizarre capitalisation turns out to be important, I'll edit it.

Axel's reference to Ixion fighting Sora does, in fact, mean that Ixion is the Enigmatic Man from Final Mix. Never had the privilege to fight him myself. I hear he's difficult.

If you read this fic before the tenth of February, you should know that there's a few alterations been made to the first chapter. Go. Read.

Sorry this chapter's late. Don't expect regular updates.

Thanks for reading.


	3. A World Without You

Title- Bright New Dawn

Summary- Riku's first mission for the Organization- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats' cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organization and inside, have different plans…

Disclaimer- I do not hold the rights to either Square or Disney. If I did, Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories would come out in Britain much sooner.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Huge ones for Chain of Memories. You've been warned.

Bright New Dawn

Chapter Three- A World Without You

With a hiss of displaced air, the train slid invisibly into the abandoned station that overlooked Destiny Islands' main isle, a scattered village of bright, red-tiled houses. Axel, from his seat inside the train, glanced out of the window to ensure that no-one was around. The station had been closed- well, closed to everyone else- for decades, but there was such a thing as making sure.

He opened the door, crinkling his nose as the salt air hit him. The station had once been one of the wooden huts that could still be seen on the smaller islands, but time and neglect had turned it into almost part of the surrounding forest- grass grew in between the paving stones, and vines crept over the tattered walls. Axel stepped from the train, sliding the door shut behind him. Once again, the train faded from view.

Ducking through what had once been the doorway, he made his way down the muddy path that led to the village. The tall palm trees above his head rustled in the early-evening air. Around him, Axel could hear the cawing of a seagull, and the murmur of the sea.

Eventually, the forest noises gave way to the chatter of a small town. A bonfire was burning in the middle of the square, with what looked to be most of the islands' children gathered around it, playing some kind of game that Axel didn't recognise but looked fun. Balls and hoops were involved. He pressed himself against the wall of a nearby house, not wanting to be seen.

He looked around the corner, his eyes darting from one laughing face to another. A couple of boys were arguing about a goal, which, to Axel, looked fairly legitimate. One of them, a tall, slightly pudgy kid with an improbable lick of ginger hair, shoved his companion into the path of an unsuspecting girl and ran, laughing. Axel rolled his eyes as the other kid, smaller and skinnier, apologised awkwardly and gave chase.

'Come back here, Wakka!' the boy shouted, pushing his way through the crowd. 'I'm gonna kick your ass!'

Axel bounded up to the roof of the house, cursing, as the two children came tearing around the corner. _That was close. _

He watched as the smaller boy grabbed Wakka by the back of his neck. 'Come on, Tidus! Have a sense of humour, ya?' the red-haired boy shouted as Tidus pinned him to the ground.

'That wasn't funny!' Tidus yanked Wakka's arm behind his back. 'I'll shove you into Lulu next time, see how funny you find that!'

Axel sat back on the roof, wondering idly if he could spit on Tidus' head from here, and if so whether the boy would notice.

'Get off me, or I'm telling your dad!' Wakka yelled. Tidus gave the boy's arm a final twist, then stood up, letting Wakka get back to his feet. Wakka massaged some life back into his arm, which had turned a decorative shade of purple. 'Sorry 'bout that, Tidus.'

'Not as sorry as you're gonna be when I tell Kairi,' the blonde kid responded, gesturing towards an island in the distance. 'She's gonna kick your ass twice as bad as I did.'

Wakka waved a hand dismissively, as Axel's head appeared above them, a look of sudden interest in his eyes. 'Eh, you get her to come out of that cave, I'll be too surprised to run anywhere.'

'You tried talking to her at all?' Tidus asked.

Wakka nodded. 'Couple of weeks ago, she tells me that the whole island's been asleep or something for ages, and we've only just woken up, ya? Then she starts talkin' about these kids who used to play with us, Sora and Ri-someone, except I'm damned if I can remember anyone like that. You?'

'Nope,' Tidus replied, shaking his head.

'I thought she was just bein', you know, Kairi, but a week later she's still waitin' on the beach for 'em, sunrise to sunset. Then she starts sleepin' in the cave. Her parents tried to drag her out of it, but she said no, they'd be comin' back any time soon. Now they just leave food outside for her.'

Axel lay back again, smiling. He couldn't have hoped for a better situation.

A few minutes later, the brown-haired girl who Tidus had run into was surprised by a whisper from the shadows. 'Excuse me. Which island is the girl Kairi on?'

'Um, that one, I think,' she replied, pointing. 'Who're you?'

She didn't get an answer. Turning, all she saw was an alleyway full of shadows.

* * *

'You did _what?_' Riku shouted, rising from his chair. 

Axel stepped back, his grin broadening at Riku's anger. 'Talked to her. Poor girl's stuck on an island without any friends to speak of. It seemed like the thing to do.'

'When?' Riku asked, moving forward. His hand tightened on the hilt of the Soul Eater.

'A couple of days ago, just after Castle Oblivion. I wanted to see the girl that inspires heroism in two Keyblade masters.' He laughed, briefly. 'She's a bit too young for me, but, hey, each to their own. Good hair, though.'

'And what did you talk to her about?'

'Sora, mainly,' Axel replied, taking a certain pleasure in twisting the knife. 'But you did get mentioned. She wanted to know if you were alright, and where you were.'

'Right.' Riku looked away from Axel for a few moments, then back to him. 'What the hell do you mean, she doesn't have any friends? What happened to Tidus? Selphie?'

'Well, it's the oddest thing. She keeps insisting that there were two other boys who used to live on the island. They're both elsewhere at the moment, but they will come back.' Axel began to pace around the room. 'You should hear the stories she tells, Riku. Evil witches, monsters created from hearts, bitter swordfights, epic battles with the future of all worlds at stake. Would you believe her?'

Riku didn't reply. _Kairi… what have I done? What've me and Sora done to you?_

'I'll take that as a no.' Axel walked towards Riku. 'She's a wreck, and I don't think I helped much. I probably shouldn't have told her about how easily Sora forgot her in Castle Oblivion.' He laughed again. 'I tell you, if your girl ever meets Naminẻ, there is going to be _trouble._'

He put a hand on Riku's shoulder. Riku wrenched it away, prompting a smirk from Axel. 'What? Upset that your actions have consequences?'

'I'm quitting this damn group,' Riku shot back. 'First chance I get.'

Axel nodded. 'I wouldn't blame you. Sure, the power is fun, and there's a certain enjoyment to be found watching the constant struggles for control, but you'll be asked to do things time and time again that no-one with a shred of conscience would even consider. But…'

'But what?'

'This isn't the kind of position you quit, Riku. An action like that would have, well, major consequences.' Axel stepped towards him again. 'And if we couldn't find you, well…' He laughed. 'To borrow a phrase, we know where you live.'

'You son of a-'

Riku's furious lunge clattered off Axel's circular blade, sending painful tremors up the Soul Eater. As he raised the sword to attack again, Axel brought his other blade up in an arc, knocking Riku onto his side in a blur of red.

'Patience, Riku.' Axel leaned down, wrenching the Soul Eater from Riku's grip. 'You fight well, but you're too obvious. Try again in a couple of years.'

Riku scrambled to his feet. 'She's a hostage, isn't she?' he said, bitterly.

'Don't think you're being singled out. Exira is going to see Mickey's queen as soon as she gets a break from transcribing Vexen's research notes.' Axel examined the Soul Eater, genuine interest on his face. 'Where did you say you got this?'

Riku paused before replying. 'Diz gave it to me.'

'Yeah, that makes sense.' He turned it over in his hands, the eye in the hilt glaring at him. 'Riku, I've got an offer for you.'

'Is this going to be a better offer than 'join the Organization, we might not kill your oldest friend'?' Riku replied, coldly.

Axel laughed. 'It depends.' He offered the Soul Eater to Riku, who took it back, looking at him sceptically. 'I've had a look at your first assignment as a member of the Organization. Don't tell anyone. We've got a town a few hours from here- I think you passed through it on your way to the castle- where we've been using the inhabitants as test cases for several years now.'

_So that explains the welcome I got at Twilight Town. _'Vexen's research has turned up some interesting theories about the effect of pure light on unanchored hearts,' Axel continued, beginning to pace again. 'The plan is for you and Exira to travel to the town and, well, test them out. She'll do the actual testing- it's your job to deal with the results of the experiment.'

Axel glanced at the expression on Riku's face. 'Don't you like the sound of that?'

'I'm guessing it would be my job to pick the victim, as well?' Riku said, looking angrily at Axel.

'Victims. Plural. Exira's probably going to need at least five test cases.' He smiled. 'But you don't have to do it.'

'Why's that?'

'Because I've got another job for you to do. It'll get you out of this castle for a while, and for a few months you won't be answerable to Ixion. Of course, it won't make you any friends within the Organization, but I think that's sort of a lost cause anyway.'

'So, what's the assignment, then?' Riku demanded. 'Burn down a couple of orphanages, maybe?'

Axel shook his head, still smiling. 'The Organization always has thirteen members. One dies, and another is recruited. When Larxene and Marluxia died, you and Mickey were recruited. But you and your friend have left three big vacancies, and we don't have anyone to replace them. You're going to help me find some.'

It took a few seconds for this to sink in. 'You must be mad, Axel,' Riku said, eventually. 'I hate this group and everyone in it. Why do you think I'd help you get more power?'

'Well, there's many reasons, really. It'll keep you from the more inhumane assignments for a while. It'll be a chance to see the Wastelands, which everyone should see at least once in their life. You'll learn to use the powers you inherited from Larxene, which might be useful if you ever do decide to go against the Organization.' He laughed. 'And there's the most simple reason, which is that if you don't, something unfortunate might happen to Kairi.'

Riku almost lunged for him again. 'What about Mickey, then?' he asked instead, sheathing the Soul Eater.

Axel shook his head. 'Mickey is a complication. He stays out of it.'

'You honestly think that I'm going to let him get signed up for the Twilight Town assignment? I'd rather do it than let him have it on his conscience.'

'You know, it's a lot simpler dealing with shells. Hearts just complicate things.' Axel sighed. 'Alright. The library needs sorting out, and if he takes his time and knows what's good for him, sorting out that mess will take years. I'll try and get him assigned to that, but I'm not making any promises.'

He offered his hand. 'Do we have a deal?'

Riku hesitated. 'What are you after, Axel?' he asked. 'What are you trying to do?'

'Believe it or not, Riku, I'm trying to help you.'

Riku shook his head. 'I'm not going to rush into a decision like this.'

Axel smiled. 'You really are learning.' Turning away, Riku looked out the window, to where a complex knot of train lines converged in front of the castle.

He stood there for long minute after long minute, his hand over his eyes, as Axel sat expectantly behind him. Dealing with the Organization was turning out to be like playing two separate games of chess without being able to see any of the opponents' pieces. He couldn't trust anything Axel said, he knew that… but at least the red-haired man seemed to genuinely want to keep Riku alive, which was more than could be said for Ixion or any of the others. At least with Axel he might get some control over his life back. But he couldn't leave Mickey here without being sure that he wouldn't be sent on the kind of mission Riku was escaping from, which really seemed like the kind of thing Ixion would do- for revenge, as much as anything else. Maybe if he…

Riku looked into the distance. There was a train- not one of the Organization's invisible carriages, but a bright one that glimmered in the rising sun- coming closer, on one of the distant lines. Tendrils of an approaching aura began to creep into Riku's mind- a man, smelling of chemicals and blood, tall and thin, with-

He turned to Axel, who was wearing a look of genuine glee Riku had previously only seen on children. 'You getting that as well?' he asked, standing up.

Riku nodded. 'It's him, isn't it?'

* * *

By the time Riku had made his way down the innumerable stairs that led to the castle's entrance hall, the rest of the Organization was already there, waiting in silence. From the thin balcony that ringed the hall he could make out Exira, who was standing with her head bowed, and Mickey- well, the gap in the line between Exira and an unfamiliar man with wild blonde hair. Muttering to himself, he descended another flight of stairs that linked the balcony and the ground floor, with carved snakes curling around the banister. 

'You're late,' Ixion hissed, from his place in the line.

'Well, excuse me if I can't just teleport everywhere,' Riku replied. He ducked into his place, next to Beatrix.

His gaze wandered down the line to the blonde-haired man, who- Riku raised his eyebrows- only had one functioning eye, green and glaring. The other was lost beneath the combined efforts of a deep scar, running from his chin through his hair, and an intricate loop of tattoos that seemed to grow out from the empty socket. As Riku looked, the man glanced his way, the corner of his mouth twisting into a smirk.

'That's Vorax.' It was Beatrix who'd spoken, and Riku turned to look at her, surprised- they were the first civil words she'd said to him.

'Didn't see him at that little 'Welcome to the Organization' party you threw for us last night,' Riku said, glancing back at Vorax.

Beatrix laughed. 'Last time he met a new recruit, he stabbed her through the chest for what he saw as insubordination. Turned out she'd accidentally sat in his chair for dinner. We've tried to keep him separate from the new guys ever since.'

'Wow.' Riku straightened up, running a hand through his hair. 'And I thought Axel was unhinged.'

Beatrix smiled, but didn't answer.

A vague shape began to appear in the fog ahead of them, and the red-and-black aura that had been at the back of his mind ever since he'd seen the train hit Riku with the force of a sledgehammer. Ixion stepped out of the line, bowing, and around him the members of the Organization dropped to their knees. Riku followed suit, inwardly sighing.

With his bandages flapping behind him, Diz stepped into the entrance hall, his single eye flashing gold.

'Welcome to Twilight Sanctuary, my Superior,' Ixion said in a voice of humility that Riku hadn't thought him capable of. 'What is your business here?'

Diz spoke, a slight echo at the edge of his voice. 'Two things, Ixion. I have come to see our new recruits, to see what they have learned from their travels, and from you.'

'Certainly,' Ixion replied.

'And I have also come to speak to you, Ixion.'

Ixion remained expressionless. 'The events of Castle Oblivion trouble me,' Diz continued. 'It is possible to me that the treachery has roots elsewhere in the Organization. Do you think that disloyalty remains in the ranks?'

Axel, his hair grazing the floor, chuckled inwardly. _He knows, _he thought. _He must have known from the moment he saw the bodies of Zexion and Lexaeus._

'I could not imagine any of us to be disloyal, Superior,' Ixion said, and Axel's inward grin grew even broader. _And Ixion knows that he knows. This is all just a game they're playing._

'Your assessment is… encouraging, Ixion, but perhaps a little over-optimistic.' Diz moved past Ixion, scanning the Organization, and Riku shivered as the bandaged man's gaze passed over him. 'Rise,' he said.

They stood, looking straight ahead. Diz stepped forward, stopping in front of Exira. 'Have you made any progress in transcribing the notes Axel recovered from Castle Oblivion?' he asked.

Axel's grin vanished. _How the hell does he know about that?_

'Some progress, Superior,' she answered, her voice free from any surprise she might have felt. 'His later research is mainly incomprehensible fragments and scribbled diagrams. I can only assume that it made sense to him.'

'Not altogether surprising,' Diz said, taking a step down the line. 'Mickey?' he said, looking down to where the king stood. 'What have been your first impressions of our Organization?'

'Top notch, Di- um, Superior,' Mickey said, meeting his look. 'Seems like I made a good choice, takin' you up on your offer.'

Diz nodded. Walking past Vorax, who was tapping his hand distractedly on the side of his leg, he smiled. 'Congratulations are in order, it seems.'

'For what?' Vorax said, a faint smile on his face.

'The success of your latest assignment,' Diz said. 'Your services are invaluable to the Organization, Vorax.'

The blonde man looked at his feet, looking almost embarrassed. 'Just doing my job, Superior.'

Diz stepped past the gap in the line where Ixion had emerged, looking at Beatrix out of the corner of his eye. Finally, he arrived in front of Riku. 'And you?' he asked. 'How have you found your comrades?'

Riku paused before replying. _Answer like Axel would, _he thought. _Talk in double-speak. Don't mean anything you say. _

'They've all acted like true members of the Organization,' he said, risking a glance into Diz's golden eye as he said it. No reaction.

'I am glad to hear it.' Diz moved away from the line. 'You are all dismissed, except for you, Ixion. I may be calling on some of you later, so do not leave the castle until I have departed.'

With a tangible sense of relief, the Organization dissipated in a whirl of black smoke, leaving Riku and Mickey standing with Ixion in the entrance hall. A glare from Ixion, seemingly un-noticed by Diz, indicated that they should follow the rest.

As they left the hall, they heard Diz turn to Ixion. 'Can you not think of anyone in this Organization whose loyalty is suspect?'

'One name springs to mind,' Ixion replied, slightly sourly. 'Our newest recruit before the mouse and the boy. He seems to act according to his own sense of priorities, and laughs at his duties. If there is still treachery within the Organization, he will be involved in it.'

'Really?' replied Diz, his voice unreadable. 'Interesting.'

* * *

Riku was woken in the early morning by a knock at the door. Irritated, he hastily pulled on one of the Organization's cloaks, which he'd left in a heap at the foot of his bed. 'Who is it?' he called, zipping the cloak shut. 

'Abraxas,' a voice replied. Riku, staggering across the room with one boot on, rolled his eyes.

Eventually, after locating the other boot under his bed, he opened the door exhaustedly. 'What do you want, Abraxas?' he said, blinking in the light of the hallway.

The bald man motioned. 'The Superior wishes to speak with you.' As Riku rubbed his eyes, he continued. 'He is in his room in the East Tower.'

'Any idea what he wants?' Riku asked, closing the door behind him and brushing stray strands of hair from his eyes.

'No, but Axel is with him. They've been talking all night.'

Riku nodded. 'Alright, alright. I'm on my way.' He paused outside Mickey's door. 'Did he ask you to bring Mickey, as well?'

Abraxas shook his head. 'Just you.'

Riku followed him through miles of winding corridor, leading slowly upwards until Riku could look out the ornate windows and see the distant shape of Twilight Town on the horizon. Looking down revealed the valley below, a purple line bracketed on all sides by blue, frosted mountains. _This is a really weird place._

Abraxas stopped suddenly, gesturing towards a heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor. 'That is the Superior's room. Knock, and wait for him to tell you before you enter.'

Before Riku could respond, his guide disappeared in the familiar column of black smoke that was beginning to irritate Riku. Slightly apprehensive, he walked towards the door.

He knocked three times, making a heavy, echoing _thud _every time. A whispered conversation from within the room suddenly ceased, and Diz's unmistakeable voice called 'Come in.' Riku turned the iron doorknob and pushed open the door, which creaked.

Inside, Diz was seated in a heavily ornate chair- almost a throne- with Axel sitting next to him, looking expectantly at Riku. 'Took you long enough,' Axel said, pointing to an empty seat. 'Pull up a chair.'

Riku did so, mentally glaring at Axel. _You guys should either teach me to teleport, or quit whinging._

'Axel and I were discussing… well, many things,' Diz said, looking at the newly-seated Riku. 'Are you loyal to the Organization?'

The directness of the question threw him. 'Of course,' Riku replied, hoping his instinctive glance in Axel's direction hadn't been noticed. What had Axel been telling him all night?

'Good.' Diz shifted his gaze back to Axel. 'I believe he has already outlined his idea for your first assignment? To fill the gaps made by the events of Castle Oblivion?'

'Yeah.'

'Ixion plans to assign you to Twilight Town. The mission he has in mind could easily be accomplished by Exira acting on her own, but I believe he wants to test your loyalty by assigning you a mission you might consider… unethical.'

As Riku attempted to look as if this was the first time he was hearing this information, Diz went on. 'Axel has been able to justify his idea, whereas Ixion's is based mainly on his paranoid belief that you are disloyal to us.'

Riku wondered if there had been an ironic note in Diz's last sentence, but he sounded genuine enough.

'My orders overrule Ixion's, although I only issue them on extremely rare occasions. This is one such occasion. You will leave this afternoon for Twilight Town, at which point you and Axel will begin your search for three promising recruits. Remember-' Diz counted on his bandaged fingers- 'they must be intelligent, they must be skilful and powerful in battle, and, above all else, they must be trustworthy.'

'The Superior has given us some leads on where to start,' Axel added, leaning back in his chair.

Riku nodded. 'I'll do all I can.'

'I would expect no less,' Diz said, standing up. 'You are dismissed.'

As Riku made to open the door, he remembered something. 'May I ask a question?' he said, turning back to look at Diz.

'You may.'

'What's going to happen to Mickey, Superior?'

Diz glanced at Axel. 'It was suggested to me that he might benefit the Organization by introducing some kind of order to the library. That was the part of Axel's plan that impressed me least.'

'So where will he be assigned?' Riku asked, as Axel edged past him to get to the door.

'I need someone to investigate the treachery that led up to Castle Oblivion. I believe Mickey's services could be better employed there, don't you?'

Riku's face froze. Then, because he couldn't do anything else, he nodded and walked out of the room.

Diz smiled as the door shut, and turned to face the sunlight.

* * *

'I'm sorry.' 

'Doesn't seem like there was much you could've done,' Mickey said, shrugging. 'It ain't like you could've said no to Diz, from what I've been hearin' about him.'

Riku, crouched over in the entrance to Mickey's room, looked at the mouse, surprised. 'I could have rejected Axel's plan when he offered it to me. He wouldn't have suggested it to Diz if I'd told him 'no.' Now…'

'Now you're not goin' on Ixion's mission, and neither am I. 'Course, I would've liked to spend a few years doin' nothin' in the library, but investigatin' these guys seems like it could be a useful way to spend some time.' He grinned at Riku. 'Don't beat yourself up. This is probably the best result we coulda hoped for.'

Riku smiled, and offered a hand. 'Thanks, Mickey. If all goes to plan, I'll be seeing you again in a couple of months.'

Mickey took Riku's hand and shook it. 'See ya soon, then.'

As Riku stood up to go, Mickey called to him. 'Remember you're one of the good guys, Riku. Wearin' that cloak doesn't make you like Axel.'

Riku turned, looking back at Mickey. 'I'll remember that. Good luck.'

Mickey watched him, feeling oddly worried, as Riku walked past the wall of portraits and disappeared down the staircase.

* * *

He'd encountered Axel at the train station, the red-haired man carrying a small bag of what he referred to as 'supplies.' When Riku slid the door shut, the train began to pull away from the station, and after a few minutes Twilight Sanctuary was lost in the mist. 

Eventually, Riku sat down, not looking at Axel, who had his feet up on the table that took up most of the carriage. They stayed in silence, Axel occasionally getting up to fill a delicate, crystalline glass with the clear contents of a bottle. Riku looked out of the window, watching as the mist gradually faded as they headed down a range of mountains towards Twilight Town, the afternoon sun slipping into the eternal dusk after which the town was named.

After an hour or so of gazing out at vast fields full of some strange red crop, Riku looked up to discover that the train was entering the outskirts of Twilight Town. It ran behind a series of tall, brick buildings, across a wide river with fishermen lazing on the banks, and then finally rounded a corner to pull into the station. As it slowed to a halt, Riku stood up, heading towards the door.

'You don't like me much, do you?' Axel said, from his seat across from Riku.

Riku turned. 'Even if you weren't currently holding one of my oldest friends hostage, no, I wouldn't like you. The only people I can like are the people I can trust.'

'I could have told Diz everything you told me, Riku,' Axel replied. 'Does the phrase 'I'm quitting this damn group, first chance I get' mean anything to you? Because I'm sure the Superior would be interested to hear about it.'

Riku paused. 'You didn't?'

'I didn't.' Axel got up, shouldering his bag of supplies. 'If this mission is going to work, you're going to need to believe me when I tell you something, and you're going to need to trust me when I tell you to do something. But if you want me to show you that I really am trying to help you…'

'What?' Riku demanded, sliding open the door.

'This train goes to Destiny Islands, as well.'

* * *

It was late evening over the islands, the fading sun almost gone from the milky-blue sky. Riku picked his way down the path from the train station, stumbling over the vines that had grown over the almost-obscured stone steps. At the bottom of the slope, he could see houses, and hear the crackle of a blazing fire. 

He skirted the village, ducking into shadows whenever he came close to anyone. From the muddy alleyways between the houses, he saw Tidus, demonstrating his Blitzball skills to a young brown-haired girl who was giggling and clapping, close enough that Riku could have called out to him. As he watched, Wakka barged into him with a grin, knocking the ball away from him. Tidus picked himself up, looking affronted, as the girl laughed even more.

Riku slipped away, walking down the empty path towards a small island overgrown with trees. Making sure no-one was watching, he edged down the beach, headed for a small wooden boat that was moored at the water's edge. He undid the knot that tethered the boat to the dock and lowered the oars into the water, heading towards the island across the bay.

A few minutes later, he jumped from the boat into the shallow water around the island, passing three smaller boats that were tied to the dock, slightly grimy and beginning to collect rainwater. He glanced at them, then turned his head away.

The bottom half of his body soaked, he trudged ashore, heading up the beach towards a floral path that led to a tunnel. He secured his boat, then walked down the path, ducking his head to enter. _This used to be bigger. I'm sure. _Cautiously, he edged down the enclosed path.

Towards the end, it opened up into a cave, with a small figure covered by a blanket asleep on the sandy floor.

Riku stopped dead. He'd been anticipating this from the moment Axel had told him, half-mockingly, where the train could go. He'd thought he'd be happy, or relieved, at least.

He hadn't thought he'd be sad.

'Kairi?'

Slowly, the small figure awoke, looking around the cave. 'Who's there?'

Riku stepped forward. 'It's me. It's Riku.'

She looked at him uncomprehendingly for a moment, then scrambled to her feet, her voice quiet and shaky. 'Is it… really you?'

He nodded.

She dashed forward, collapsing into his arms. Riku held her, silently. Finally, she raised her head to look at him, her face streaked with tears. 'So I wasn't crazy?'

'No crazier than you usually are, Kairi,' Riku replied, smiling with a humour he didn't feel.

She looked behind him, and Riku knew what she was thinking.

'Sora isn't with me,' he said, not wanting to see her expression. 'I… I wish he was. But he's safe, at least.'

She nodded. Together, they sat down, a weak moonlight illuminating the cave.

'I'm sorry I wasn't able to get back earlier,' Riku said, resting his head on the wall. 'The last three weeks or so have been… interesting, you might say.'

'What happened to you?' she asked. 'I saw you just before Sora sealed Kingdom Hearts, and then you just… disappeared.'

'Well, _directly _after that, I'm not sure myself. I remember seeing Sora, and Mickey, and then… the next thing I know, I'm being lectured to by this red-bandaged guy who's been haunting me ever since.' Riku sat up. 'Turns out I'd been asleep for weeks. A few hours later, me and Mickey agree to join this group led by the red-bandaged guy, which we spend five or six more days trying to find only to discover most of our new friends are either power-mad or just plain mad. Spent another two days there, then I get my first mission, which is the first chance I get to come see you.' He shrugged. 'That's basically it. You?'

Kairi looked down. 'After Sora sealed Kingdom Hearts, I spent a few days on this island, then I went back into the town. Everything's the same, except… they've never heard of you, or Sora. His parents say they never had a kid, and so… so do yours.'

Riku closed his eyes. He'd been told by Axel, but it hurt more coming from her. 'My parents thought I'd gone mad,' Kairi continued. 'I came back here because I couldn't stand being around them any more. They leave me food and fresh water every morning, and… that's it for the last three weeks.'

'I'm sorry.'

'It's not your fault,' Kairi said, smiling weakly. 'So…' She paused. 'Are you staying here?'

He shook his head, slowly. She looked away.

Riku moved closer to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. 'If there was any way I could, I would, but… the people I'm working for want me to be elsewhere. I'm not even really supposed to be here.'

'It's okay.' She looked back at him. 'At least I've seen you.'

* * *

Riku left the cave before dawn the next morning, with the sky beginning to lighten. He walked down the beach towards the boat he'd left there. Above him, a flight of seagulls swooped in the early morning air. 

Kairi followed him out, waiting at the top of the path. 'Where are you going now?'

'I'm not too sure,' Riku called back. 'The guy I'm with mentioned that he had a bunch of places on a list somewhere, but knowing him he'll pick them at random.'

He moved towards her slightly. 'Kairi?'

'Yes?'

'Are you going to go back to your parents?' Riku asked, gesturing towards the town across the bay.

She nodded. 'I know you're real, at least. I know I'm not going crazy.'

Riku smiled, this time genuine. 'That's probably best.'

He turned to go, but Kairi called to him. 'You know that cloak you're wearing?'

'Yeah?' he said, turning back to her.

'The group you're in doesn't contain a mad guy with red hair, does it?'

_Dammit. _'Yes, unfortunately. He's my partner on this mission.'

She looked dubious. 'He came to see me a week ago. I didn't like him.'

'I don't like him much either, but it's thanks to him I was able to get here.' Riku swung the oar out of the boat, lowering it into the water again. 'Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.'

'See you soon,' Kairi called, waving. He waved back. 'See ya.'

He began to row, headed back towards the train, and Axel.

From the path, rubbing at her eyes, Kairi watched him fade into the distance.

* * *

Author's Notes- 

Written under the influence of extreme tiredness and three different cover versions of the song 'Hallelujah.' Not really a surprise the way the latter sections turned out. (Leonard Cohen's, Jeff Buckley's and John Cale's versions, to be exact.)

This chapter ended up about twice as long as I imagined it, mainly because I needed to introduce someone who could overrule Ixion. It also ended up being kinda Riku/Kairi 'shippy, which was not my intention, but if that's your thing then, hey, bonus.

**Lenusya- **Thanks for being the first person to review this. It's appreciated.

**Jade-Jaganashi**- Yeah, Axel's fun to write. It's all about being mean in funny ways. Not quite sure I've got his dialogue patterns quite right yet, though, but I'm working on it.

**Chikara- **Okay, kinda brief review. It's encouraging, though. Thanks for the support.

**Dustie Paige- **This could become a fun game to play. 'Try And Make My Reviewers Fall Out Of Windows By Adding Unlikely Plot Twists.' Next chapter- Riku finds he is Donald's illegitimate lovechild.

…okay, perhaps not.

**Twilight Unknown- **Nope, all Organization members except for Axel and Diz are the products of my overactive imagination. Ixion and Beatrix are kind of FF in-jokes, though.

**Ginger Ninja- **I had planned to respond to this with 'if you're gonna write a Riku-less story, I'm gonna write a Sora-less story'. But then you put Riku in ATR. So, I can't really say anything here except thanks for the review, and also that, yes, Axel kicks ass.

**Anonymous Guy With Lots of Dots**- Good point. For some reason it didn't show up on the spellcheck. I've changed it now.

Thanks for reading.


	4. Across the River

Title- Bright New Dawn

Summary- Riku's first mission for the Organization- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats' cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organization and inside, have different plans…

Disclaimer- I do not hold the rights to either Square or Disney. If I did, Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories would come out in Britain much sooner.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Huge ones for Chain of Memories. You've been warned.

Bright New Dawn

Chapter Four- Across the River

Wherever he was, it was the height of summer. Riku shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the train sped out of a brief patch of shade into the sunshine, heat washing over him. Axel sat back, his feet up, seemingly unaffected by the blistering sun. _Of course not, _Riku thought, with just a hint of annoyance. _His fighting style involves handling burning metal on a regular basis. This must be like the middle of winter to him._

The train was making its way down the side of a hill, its tracks bracketed with tall vines and spiny bushes. Through narrowed eyes, Riku could dimly make out the area they were passing through- there were taller hills, almost mountains, clustered around them, as overgrown with foliage as theirs seemed to be.

Suddenly, Axel stood up, looking towards the front of the train. "Get your stuff, Riku," he said, edging around the table. "We're stopping here for a few minutes."

Riku looked back at him, surprised. "What for?"

"Supplies," the red-haired man responded, ducking through the doorway that connected the engine to the cabin. Riku rolled his eyes.

He picked the Soul Eater up from the seat next to him, sliding it inside his open coat. He'd just zipped the jacket up when a loud screech came from beneath him, and the train ground to a halt, making the glasses in the cabinet judder. Riku grabbed hold of the windowpane, steadying himself.

"You got everything?" Axel asked, emerging back into the cabin.

"Axel, I don't _have _anything, except my weapon and the stuff in my pockets," Riku said, shooting him an irritated look.

"Good thing one of us packed for a mission, then," Axel replied, unfazed. "There's food in the bag next to you. Get a couple of cans for me, while you're at it."

Riku unzipped the black bag that Axel had brought with him. He reached in, looking bemused when he pulled out a small circular tin. "You expect us to eat this?"

"What, you've never seen canned food before?" Axel said, grinning. Riku shook his head.

Axel took the tin from Riku's hand. "We've got stacks of the stuff in the castle. There's a couple of worlds that we get it from. Stays fresh for years, if you're lucky."

He slid the jacket's hood over his head. "Any of them say 'pineapple' on?"

Riku rummaged for a few seconds, eventually pulling out a scratched and dented tin. "Here you go."

Axel pocketed it. Riku stood up, moving towards the door.

"Hey, Riku. Put your hood up," Axel called, his face shrouded in a shadow that seemed to come from within the cloak itself. Riku turned to him.

"Why? It's hot enough already wearing this damn thing."

"These coats don't just make us look cool and mysterious, Riku," Axel said. "These are one of Vexen's better inventions, before he went all mad-scientist on us." He walked forward. "They allow us to blend in with the people of this world. Unless they're expecting to see us, or stare at us for a good long time, we won't appear like we're dressed any different to how they are."

He pulled Riku's hood over his head. "It only works if you're completely covered, though. You'll just have to grin and bear it."

Grimacing, Riku pulled the door open. He'd thought it was hot inside the cabin, but outside the heat was nothing short of suffocating, feeling unpleasantly sticky as he dropped from the train. He rubbed his face, already beginning to sweat. "Hurry up, Axel!" he shouted.

Axel stepped off the train, landing on the rough, dusty soil. He slid the door closed. The train shimmered out of existence again… as, Riku noticed, did the tracks that it ran on. "This way!" Axel called, heading down the slope towards a distant building.

Riku followed him, thorns scratching at the bottom of his coat. "Where're we going?"

Axel pointed into the distance. "We're going flower-picking, Riku."

* * *

By the time they got to the bottom of the slope, Riku was sweltering, fighting an urge to take his jacket off. The temple was made from bright stone, mainly consisting of four high walls and a sloping roof, but there was a patch of mercifully cool shade inside the entrance, and Riku almost tripped over a stray stone as he ran towards it. 

As he leant against the wall inside, gasping, he noticed a woman staring at him from the raised altar in the middle of the temple. She must have been seventy years old, but her eyes were the brightest and most alert Riku had seen in his life.

"Who are you?" she demanded, hobbling down the steps to meet him.

"Um…"

She looked at him, part curious, part angry. "I will ask you again. Who are you?"

"I'm Riku," he said, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"What makes you seek the oracle of the Pythia… Riku?" she asked, looking, bemused, at his raised hand. He dropped it.

"Um…"

"Well, actually," Axel said, sauntering through the doorway, "we're not so much here for your oracle." Out of the corner of his mouth, he whispered to Riku "She's the Pythia. Local wise woman. Do us a favour and act deferential."

The woman stepped towards him. "And who are you?" she asked, looking Axel up and down.

"My name is Pyrrhus, and my friend here is Therapon. Excuse him, he's a bit simple."

Riku glared at him.

"So you come here with no question. Why are you here?"

"We'd like your permission." He gestured towards the green-and-white bushes that grew outside the temple. "We need two sprigs of mistletoe from the temple at Delphi."

The Pythia looked at him, an eyebrow cocked. "So you plan to journey to the Underworld?"

"_What?"_

Riku whirled around. "The Underworld? As in, Hell? Where the demons live?"

"Please, Therapon, let the grown-ups talk for a few minutes." Axel favoured Riku with his sunniest smile before turning back to the Pythia. "Yes, we need payment to cross the river, and I've been led to believe that's the only way to get across without being, you know, dead."

"You are correct." The old woman turned away from them, heading back up the steps. "I hope that you are prepared to pay handsomely."

"I do everything handsomely," Axel replied, grinning. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he threw a leather pouch in the Pythia's direction. She caught it with a speed Riku hadn't imagined she was capable of, pulling out a handful of small, bright coins.

"This will be… barely sufficient, Pyrrhus." She nodded. "Take two sprigs of the mistletoe, and two only. And be careful- you may be able to buy Charon's amiability, but the rest of the Underworld's denizens are not so easy to placate."

"I guess I'll just have to rely on my winning personality, then," Axel said. He turned to go. "Therapon, come on. Places to go, demons to meet. Move."

"I'd like a discussion of the whole 'going to Hell' plan right about now, please." Riku edged down the steps backwards, looking at Axel. "When were you going to tell me about this?"

"If I'd told you, you'd have been too scared to go." Axel strode out into the sunshine. "Look, that place is the biggest receptacle of lost souls in all the worlds. We could fill all three positions from there alone, and still have plenty of choice."

Summoning one of his blades, he cut a small stem off the bush that grew around the temple. He threw it to Riku. "Keep that safe. It'll guarantee you safe passage across the Styx. Of course, I can't speak for your safety once you get across, but, hey, take things one step at a time."

He cut another one off, putting it into the pocket of his coat. "Now come on. We've got to get back to the train before some idiot goatherd stumbles into it."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Riku warned, tucking away his sprig of mistletoe.

Axel turned to him. "Riku, trust me."

_

* * *

I suppose I did ask for shade,_ Riku said, trudging down the rocky path. _Lesson for today- be careful what you wish for._

The train had come to a halt in a mountain range, nestled between two crags. As soon as Axel had been assured that nobody was going to find an invisible train half-way up an uninhabited mountain, they'd begun to make their way down a steep, loose path towards the shore.

After a couple of hours' walking, the shore had tapered to a peninsula, leading towards a distant cave at the end of the path. The temperature seemed to drop as they approached, which came as something of a relief to Riku after having spent almost a day in the blazing sun. As they came to the lip of the cave, Riku saw that there was another path inside, one that led downwards into an impenetrable, inky blackness.

"Is that it?" Riku said, looking into the cave. Axel nodded.

With a complex gesture, he ignited a ball of fire in the palm of his hand. Riku edged backwards as Axel raised it into the air.

"This'll help light our way," he said, sliding down into the cave. Riku followed, becoming more anxious as the pair of them disappeared into the dark.

He didn't know how long they'd been walking for, but a few hours ago Axel had dispelled his light as blue torches began to appear at intervals, bolted firmly to the wall. The path had become stony, made of a dark, grainy rock that Riku didn't recognise. Once or twice, he thought he heard the beating of wings above him.

"So what happens when we get across the river?" he said. Axel looked at him, mildly surprised at the first words he'd said for an hour.

"Well, we're looking for Hades. You know Hades, right?"

_An unpleasant, sallow face, sharp teeth and bright eyes, and constantly moving his hands as he talked…_ "Yeah, I've heard of him," Riku replied.

"He's our go-to guy. There's a bunch of legends about heroes who've taken people out of the Underworld without his permission, but they don't tend to end happily." Axel grinned. "No, we need to negotiate a deal with him."

"What have we got to offer him, then?" Riku asked.

"Don't worry, Riku, I've got it all under control."

Axel stopped, turning back to Riku. "We're close to the river now."

A watery light at the bottom of the tunnel marked the end of the path. They stepped out onto a rickety wooden platform, which- Riku noticed- was suspended over a river. Looking down into the water, he had just enough time to realise that the dim, floating shapes that moved in it were _people, _and then Axel dragged him towards the end of the pier.

A skeleton stood there, his bones darkened with age and the thick smoke that billowed around the cavern. Riku instinctively grabbed for the Soul Eater, but Axel caught him, glaring.

"That's Charon, you idiot. Attack him and you'll get the whole Underworld on us."

Riku looked distrustful, but loosened his grip on the sword. Axel walked towards the skeleton, reaching in his pocket for the sprig of mistletoe he'd taken from the temple. "We'd like to cross the river."

Charon enfolded the mistletoe in one bony hand, smiling in a way Riku didn't like. "It's been a while since mortals came down here. May I ask why you wish to cross?"

"We're looking to make a deal with your boss," Axel replied. "Riku, give him yours."

Riku handed over his stem of mistletoe, flinching when Charon's cold hand scraped along his.

"Your payment is accepted." Charon dropped down into his boat. "I will ferry you across the Styx."

"Sounds good." Axel lowered himself into the boat, with Riku following.

"Before you set out, know this," the skeleton said, raising an oar in his hands. "I cannot ferry you back. You will either leave with Hades' permission, or…" Charon smiled again. "Or not at all."

* * *

"Where are you taking us?" Riku asked, sitting back in the boat. 

Charon turned to look at him, obviously sneering despite his lack of a face. "Hades has his castle in the mountains of Tartarus. I will take you as close as I can get you, and then the rest is up to you and your friend."

"Tartarus? Doesn't sound fun."

The boatman nodded. "It isn't. Tartarus is where the truly damned go, those who set themselves against the gods, or committed a sin so grievous that even Aphrodite could not contemplate forgiving them. Those who gave their souls to Hades end up in Tartarus, to suffer for their stupidity and their blindness."

Riku looked warily at Axel. "You weren't planning on making our souls part of this deal, were you?"

Axel shook his head. "I'm not that stupid, Riku."

The boat moved slowly past an endless plain of souls, grey and translucent, wandering with blank expressions. Riku stared into the mass, feeling scared and sad at the same time.

"Those aren't the ones we're looking for," Axel said, cutting into Riku's thoughts. "Not a single one of them would be able to do more than moan absently at enemies. Tartarus is where we'll find the real prizes, you mark my words."

"So your idea of ideal recruitment material is guys who've sinned so badly that they ended up in the worst area of Hell?" Riku asked, not taking his eyes off the ghosts.

"Where did you think we found Vorax?" Axel replied. Riku blinked, remembering the scarred man who had smirked at him in the castle's entrance hall.

_I did not want to know that._

* * *

They got off the boat on a long, empty beach, the sand blackened and glistening. Riku waved goodbye to Charon, who saluted them mockingly and began to sail back into the smoke. He looked around at Tartarus, and immediately wished he hadn't. 

Vast mountains of black rock jutted up from the land, disappearing into the choking clouds of smoke above, with tiny pinpricks of eerie blue light dotted across their slopes. Between the mountains, thousands of the blue flames congregated, burning in the still air. What struck him most was the absence of the screaming and crying he'd expected. Tartarus was nothing but flat, dead silence.

Axel began to walk up the beach towards the nearest of the mountains. Riku called after him. "What're you doing?"

"Hades' castle is between those two mountains, see?" Axel said, pointing. Riku could vaguely make out a large shape, looming above the fields of Tartarus, but nothing more than that.

Riku darted up the beach to where Axel was. "What're those blue lights?"

"They mark wherever a soul is. Each one has their own individual punishment, based on what they did to get sent down here. Ask Hades, and he might give you a tour of the more amusing ones."

Riku looked again, the landscape taking on a new horror. "There's got to be twenty thousand of them out there."

"Told you we had a lot to choose from." Axel started walking again. Riku shook his head, and followed.

* * *

After a few miles, Riku became aware that they were being watched. Looking up, he heard the beat of leathery wings above him on the slopes, and a scrabble of rock that might have been caused by something heavy taking off. He nudged Axel. 

"I know," Axel muttered. "Just keep walking and hope they're not hungry."

"What are they?"

"Furies." Axel began to edge down the slope, towards a pool of water where a man, emaciated and pale, tried vainly to grasp the fruit that grew around him. Every time he tried, the vines pulled away from his reach. Riku stared for a few seconds, before closing his eyes and turning his head away.

"Demons?" he asked, moving to catch up with Axel.

"Not exactly. They live here, but they're not quite servants of Hades. They prey on people up on the surface, but only if they've killed a family member. Down here, however…" Axel looked meaningfully at Riku. "Try not to look tasty."

Riku gripped the Soul Eater. "So, am I allowed to attackthem?" he said sarcastically, looking at Axel.

"Just hope it doesn't come to that, okay?"

He looked again at Axel, this time more closely. He hadn't known the guy for long, it was true… but this was the first time he'd seen him afraid.

Riku turned his head. There was more than one wingbeat audible now, and a softer sound that he hoped wasn't chuckling. Almost unconsciously, he began to walk faster.

"What if we-"

An unearthly screech was all the warning Riku got before the monster swooped, slicing at what would have been his neck if he hadn't ducked in time. He spun around, unsheathing the Soul Eater.

There were three of them, huge and hideous, looking like nothing so much as winged dogs. The one that had attacked him swooped again, cutting at his face. Riku raised the Soul Eater, and it backed away, its beady eyes looking for an opening in his defence.

The other two were focusing their attention on Axel, who was standing still, weaponless. _Summon your blades, you idiot! _Riku thought, glancing back at the hovering Fury.

Suddenly one of the Furies dived at Axel, who brought his hand around in a circle, his weapon glaring white inside his hand. The dog-thing had misjudged its dive and didn't expect its opponent to be armed, and Axel's blade dug into its chest, spraying black blood on his coat. It screamed in pain, and the other one swooped at him, slicing into the red-haired man's back.

Riku moved to defend him, but his opponent chose this moment to attack, cutting at his unprotected hand. It only managed to scrape him before Riku pulled his hand away, but even that burned him, and he almost dropped the Soul Eater in sudden pain. With a couple of wild swipes, he drove it backwards, his scarred hand clenching involuntarily. The Fury snickered.

He leapt forward, bringing the Soul Eater down in an arc. The Fury wasn't quick enough, and Riku managed to catch it with the tip, slicing across its chest. It snarled, then lunged at him, biting into his upper arm.

The pain was unbearable, and Riku collapsed backwards, screaming and clutching at his arm. As he rolled, he felt the Fury's claws scrape along his neck, and he arched backwards, slicing blindly with his sword at where he thought his enemy should be. Nothing but air.

Nearby, Axel yelled as one of the Furies clawed at him. Riku tried to stand up, shakily, but his opponent cannoned into him, knocking him over again and re-igniting the agony in his arm. He couldn't see, and as the Fury gripped his chest with its sharp talons a black mist began to descend…

…and then he lashed out, feeling as if his arm was shattering into pieces as he loosed a lightning bolt at the Fury.

It caught his enemy square in the chest, sending jolts of electricity dancing through its body. The smell of burning hair woke Riku from his haze of pain, and he scrambled to his feet, looking from his arm to the twitching Fury and back again.

"What the… _hell… _just happened?" he croaked, as the two remaining Furies flew off, screeching. Axel struggled to one knee, grabbing his blades from where they had fallen.

"Remember I mentioned… the powers you'd inherited from Larxene?" he said, trying to get up. "That… that was one."

Riku looked down. There were channels running down his arm, raw and burnt, where the lightning had touched his skin. "I think I need… more practi…"

The black mist swam into his vision, and he dimly felt his legs give way as he fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

On his throne, eyes closed and with a connoisseur's smile on his face, Hades listened to the distant moans of the damned. He'd done a little re-organising in the last few months, raising the Elysian Fields to a level where they could be seen from the mountains of Tartarus, and he thought there was a little something extra in the suffering these last weeks, as the souls in his company were forced to stare, every moment, at the beautiful golden fields and trees full of blossom that were the reward for a virtuous existence. He relished these moments, when he could take a break from the hectic business of managing Hell and just simply enjoy life. 

The problem was, they never lasted. His smile faded into a scowl as he heard the familiar patter of Panic's feet up the staircase. "This had better be good," he snarled, as the little demon skittered into his chamber.

"You wanted to be notified if anyone special crossed over the river, right?" Panic squeaked. Hades nodded, his mind beginning to work. _Who's down here? If Charon's let in that lunk of a half-god again, I'll have his head on a stake…_

"Who is it?" he asked, standing up. "God? Demon?" He grinned, toothily. "Another idiot hero down here to rescue his sweetie-pie from the evil Hades?"

"One of them's mortal, boss. The other we can't quite figure out." Panic scurried around to Hades' side. "We think he might be from another world, 'cause Charon says he doesn't feel like anyone he's ever met. They said they were coming here to make a deal with you…"

Hades liked to deal with people. He headed towards the staircase, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the wall. "Where are they now?"

"Um, they're collapsed. Had a run-in with the Furies not far from here. Do you want me to send someone to get them?"

"Yeah, do that. Send the new kid, he could do with some work." Hades looked out the window, overlooking twenty thousand souls all suffering in their own personal Hell. He smiled again.

_I wonder what they want?_

* * *

Author's Notes- 

I'm a big fan of Greek mythology (perhaps that should read Greek geek) so writing this chapter was a lot easier than I'd expected. As regards the 'even Aphrodite couldn't forgive them' line, yes, I know she had a temper like every other god and goddess in the pantheon, but yelling at me about mythological inaccuracy in a chapter based on Disney's interpretation of Greek myths is a bit like re-arranging the furniture while the house is on fire.

'Pyrrhus' comes from the Greek for 'fire', and 'Therapon' basically means 'follower' or 'servant'. I thought that'd appeal to Axel's ego.

Since she plugged me… if you get a moment, check out Ginger Ninja's post-COM fic, 'Know Who I Am'. I'm assuming everyone reading this has no objection to reading massive Chain of Memories spoilers, and it really is good.

The information about what mortals have to pay Charon to get into the Underworld comes from Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' series, which acts as a starter course in about ten different ancient religions as well as being brilliant and thought-provoking. Check that out, as well, if you haven't already.

**JadeyTheKitty- **Yes, that would be Yuna. So the umpteen references to her brown hair and giggly ways weren't too subtle, then. Thanks for the nice review- I like writing Kairi.

**Ginger Ninja- **No matter how I write it, Axel always seems to be almost-but-not-quite hitting on Riku. Guess that's just how he is.

**Twilight Unknown- **Organization names tend to be annoying. I almost called one of mine Xavier, before deciding it'd be difficult to call a character that without him owning a wheelchair and leading a gang of mutants. Thanks for the review, as always.

Next chapter- Axel and Hades negotiate, Riku begins to wonder what effect doing the Organization's dirty work is having on him, and Hades' 'new kid' turns out to be someone Riku recognises… or thinks he recognises. See you then.

Thanks for reading.


	5. A Hope in Hell

Title- Bright New Dawn

Summary- Riku's first mission for the Organisation- to recruit three powerful characters to the black-coats' cause, aided by Axel. But their enemies, both outside the Organisation and inside, have different plans…

Disclaimer- I do not hold the rights to either Square or Disney. If I did, Kingdom Hearts- Chain of Memories would come out in Britain much sooner.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Huge ones for Chain of Memories. You've been warned. (There's also some slight spoilers for Final Fantasy X-2, although nothing major.)

Bright New Dawn

Chapter Five- A Hope in Hell

'Get up.'

The voice seemed to come from far away. It echoed in Riku's head, muffled by the darkness around him. Slowly, the pain in his body reawakening with him, he opened his eyes.

A figure swam in his murky vision, but it wasn't who Riku was expecting to see. The person who was shaking him awake was a sullen-eyed, dark-clothed youth, not too much older than Riku himself. Even with his pounding headache and blurry eyes, Riku could notice something off-putting about the man, something… familiar.

'You're alive, then,' the man said, getting up.

Riku blinked a couple of times, trying to clear the fog from his eyes. 'You sound surprised,' he said, rubbing at his face.

'Well, not counting the wounds on your back, neck and arm, there's about two hundred demons I can name who'd have made short work of two unconscious mortals like yourselves if I hadn't got here first. You're lucky Hades wants you alive.'

'Yeah, that's us. Lucky.' A thought struck him. 'Where's Axel?'

'Lying on his back, not too far from where you are. When I tried to wake him, he almost took my hand off with one of his weapons.' The man looked over to Riku's left. 'He tells me it was a reflex.'

Riku sat up, his vision clearing. Looking in the direction the man was facing, he saw Axel's familiar spikes of hair, almost neon against the black sand he was lying on.

'Good work back there, Riku,' Axel said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. 'I don't suppose you could have done that _before _I got my back torn off by flying dogs?'

Riku rolled his eyes. 'First the teleporting, now this. How's this for a new idea- if you want me to know something, teach it me. Or stop whining.'

'If you…'

'That's enough, guys,' the man said, interjecting. 'Not that listening to you two play the blame game isn't fun, but Hades sent me to bring the both of you back to his castle. I'm already late.' He pointed upwards, to where a skull-shaped fortress of rock loomed out of the smoky clouds above. 'Follow me.'

He turned to go, but Riku called out to him. 'Hey, wait. Do I know you?'

'I really doubt it,' the man replied. 'What's your name?'

'Riku,' he said, standing up. 'And you?'

The man paused, as Riku waited, expectantly. _Surely he can't have forgotten his own name? How long's he been down here?_

Finally, the man looked up to meet Riku's gaze. 'Shuyin.'

* * *

Trudging up the slope towards Hades' castle, Riku soon found himself walking behind Axel and Shuyin, who were silently navigating the dark mountain that led to it. The fine black sand that covered the rest of Tartarus was even looser the higher he got, and he found himself slipping in it, raising a hand to steady himself. If he looked down, he got dizzy. 

He heard a beating of enormous wings above him, and he whirled, grasping the Soul Eater. Shuyin turned to look, raising his eyebrows at Riku's reaction. 'Don't panic, kid. It's an eagle.'

'What's an eagle doing down here?' Riku said, replacing his sword and feeling slightly embarrassed. They began walking again, the sand giving way to a rough stone path.

'Right at the top of this mountain, there's a guy who pissed Zeus off a few hundred years ago. Every day at dawn, an eagle flies up to where the guy's chained, and pecks out his liver.' Shuyin seemed to enjoy the effect this was having on Riku, because he continued, punctuating his speech with gestures. 'It grows back over the rest of the day, which I'm assured is just as painful as having it out, and then next morning…' He mimed the clacking of a beak with his hand.

'Great.' Riku looked, apprehensively, up the mountain. The eagle disappeared into the clouds. 'Who's Zeus, then?'

Shuyin looked at him, disbelievingly. 'You don't know who Zeus is?'

Riku shook his head. 'Friend of your boss?'

'Brother, actually. But they're not on the best of terms at the moment… or, well, any time for the last millennium or so. Hades is the… black sheep of the family, you might say.' He walked towards Riku. 'I thought everyone knew this stuff.'

'Well, we haven't been on this world long…'

Riku was cut off by a gesture from Axel. 'Ah, he doesn't know what he's talking about,' the red-haired man said, stepping between the two. 'He thinks he's from another world. Sometimes, I think he must be, but…' He shrugged, giving Shuyin a 'can you believe this kid?' look.

'Thought so,' Shuyin said, beginning to walk again. 'You didn't seem like the usual guys we get down here.'

He looked at Axel, whose eyebrows were raised. 'Yeah, I know about the other worlds. I'm not originally from this one, either.'

'Mind if I ask which one?' Axel said.

Shuyin was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded. 'Don't suppose it matters now. Ever heard of Hollow Bastion?'

As Riku's mind filled with unwelcome images- a fissure in the wall blaring green-and-black light, a cruel, red Keyblade, the far-off screaming of Malificent- Axel nodded. 'Been there a couple of times. You're from there?'

'Not quite. It's the same world, though. I lived in a city not too far from there- well, lived there occasionally.' There was a distance in his eyes as he spoke. 'I was in the army, so…'

'How'd you end up down here, then?' Riku said, a bit blunter than he'd intended.

Shuyin glanced at him. 'That's really none of your business.' He began to walk ahead, leaving Axel and Riku behind.

'Oh, nice going there, Riku,' Axel said, glaring. 'We've met two of Hades' employees so far, and you've managed to convince one you're an idiot and offend the other one. Try to keep your mouth shut when we meet the man himself, okay?'

'Sorry. I guess I missed the bit in Diz's briefing where I was told to be nice to the guys who run a hundred-miles-across torture chamber,' Riku shot back.

Axel smiled. 'You're in the Organization now, Riku. It should go without saying.'

* * *

The gates to Hades' castle were fastened tightly shut, towering above the small group that stood before them. They were made of cold, grim iron, and as Riku moved closer to them he could see that images of Tartarus' tortures were engraved into them, a mass of damned souls surrounded on all sides by grinning demons, with Hades' leering face carved above them all. Riku looked up further, uneasily noting the misshapen towers that disappeared into the black clouds above them.

Shuyin walked towards the gate, placing one hand on an indentation in the metal. 'I'm back,' he said, looking up at the engraving. 'Two guys from the Organization are here to make a deal with you. You gonna let them in?'

Riku recoiled in shock as Hades' carving glanced downwards, its mouth opening into a wide grin. 'Sure, let 'em in,' it said in Hades' wheedling voice, echoes drifting into the distance. 'Last time we had you guys down here-' its eyes flicked upwards, looking at Axel and Riku- 'I got a pretty good deal out of you.'

Shuyin stepped back as the gates creaked open, the screech of moving metal causing Riku to instinctively put his hands over his ears. _What does he mean by that? Okay, Axel mentioned that they got Vorax out of here… but what did they give Hades in return? _

When the gates had opened wide enough, Shuyin slipped in, disappearing into the darkness inside the castle. Axel nudged Riku. 'You coming with me, or are you going to wait out here? 'Cause I can't guarantee your safety either way.'

'You should be worrying about your own safety, Axel,' Riku said, walking towards the entrance. 'I'd hate for you to get in another fight that you needed me to get out of.'

Axel grinned, slapping him on the back. Riku turned around, looking surprised.

'You're getting cocky, Riku,' Axel said, laughing. 'Good. Trust me when I say you'll need a bit of confidence in the next few months.'

Riku couldn't decide if this was a compliment or a warning. Shrugging, he entered the castle, Axel following behind.

* * *

'Welcome to my humble abode,' Hades said, reclining on his throne and viewing Riku and Axel shrewdly. 'Haven't seen you guys down here since… what, three years ago?' He got up, walking down the steps to meet the pair. 'So, what d'you want?'

His ribs still sore from the Furies' assault, as well as the sharp nudge that Axel had given him along with a muttered 'only speak if you're spoken to', Riku remained silent. Axel smiled ingratiatingly, stepping forward.

'Same as last time,' he said. 'There's a few gaps in the Organization.'

'Ah.' Hades grinned. 'Well, let's see what we've got in stock.' He walked over to a gap in the wall, through which the fields of Tartarus were visible. 'Got anything specific in mind?'

'Well, we lost a scientist, a big warrior dude, and a self-proclaimed master of disguise.'

'You might just be in luck.' Hades leaned out of the gap, snapping his fingers. 'I can help you with the scientist and the warrior, at least. There's no shortage of mad doctors who made a deal for quote-unquote 'forbidden knowledge,' and the amount of warriors, fighters and just plain killers we've got, well…' Hades looked back at Axel. 'But I don't need to tell you that, do I? I sold you guys the best one we'd had for centuries.'

'You mean Vorax?' Riku said, before he could stop himself.

Hades raised one spidery eyebrow. 'Oh, so you can speak. I was wondering about that.' He walked up to Riku, his grin widening to show rows of serrated teeth. 'Nice to see you again, Riku. I guess you've made Vorax's acquaintance, then?'

Riku nodded. 'He didn't seem the friendliest of people.'

'You ain't wrong.' Hades looked back at Axel. 'How long's Riku been with you guys?'

'About a week,' Axel replied. 'First heart we've had in the Organization- well, him and his friend.'

'Hmm… I didn't think you took beings with hearts.' Hades tapped one long finger on his formidable chin. 'Seem to remember your boss was very strict on that. 'The Organization can't afford matters of light and darkness to interfere with its business'- that's a direct quote, I think.'

He glanced at Riku. 'How _is _the old heart these days, anyway, Riku? Last time I saw you, you were all about the darkness, terrible powers, yadda yadda. Now you're a good guy?'

'Something like that,' Riku said, anger boiling up inside him. _Like I needed reminding of the last time we met._

'Actually, come to think of it-' Hades switched his gaze back to Axel- 'I don't seem to remember you, either. Were you with the group that came to get Vorax?'

'Nah,' Axel said. 'I've been with the Organization a grand total of half a year.'

'So they send the new kids to one of the most dangerous places in the worlds?' Hades grinned, looking back and forth between them. 'I'd start asking questions about how fond your leadership are of you, if I were in your position.'

'Anyway,' he said, returning to the gap in the wall. Vague, foggy shapes had begun to appear outside Hades' tower, performing disturbing pantomimes of the sins they'd committed in life. 'Down to business. Now, this is what we've got in the 'mad scientist' range.'

He made a dragging gesture with his hand, and one figure separated itself from the crowd, drifting inside the tower. Riku stepped back, instinctively. The man was rake-thin with scraggly hair, although its whole body appeared grey through the fog.

'This guy experimented on his pregnant wife, which would have been enough to land him down here even if he hadn't done a deal with me- your basic sort of thing, his soul in return for more scientific understanding.' Hades nodded towards the grey figure as it mimed an injection. Riku flinched. 'He's smart- you should see how the kid turned out- and he'll probably stay on your side as long as you've got interesting problems for him and a good supply of attractive test subjects.'

Snapping his fingers, he dismissed the ghost, as another drifted through the hole in the wall. 'Next up, we have another doctor. He was more of a weapons scientist than a biologist, which… I don't know if you'd find that useful?'

Axel shook his head. 'Diz makes all our weapons.'

'Well, it was worth a go.'

'Show us the warriors,' Axel said. The front row of shadowy figures dispersed, giving way to a group of larger shades. One moved forward at Hades' gesture.

'Here, we have your basic 'bruiser' type.' The figure was bald and stocky, resembling- to Riku, at least- an older Abraxas. 'Stoic, tough, loyal to a fault. If you want someone who'll beat on anyone who needs beating on without asking too many questions, this is your man.'

'Sounds promising,' Axel said. 'We might need more than just dumb muscle, though. Got anyone who can think as well as hit?'

'Well, the smart ones tend to be harder to find and less easy to trick. There's one I'm working on at the moment, though. I'll have his soul down here if you can wait a few weeks.'

'I'd prefer to get this done as soon as possible.' Axel gestured towards the doorway that led down to the entrance hall. 'What about that guy you sent to bring us in? The way he tells it, he's something of a fighter himself.'

Hades laughed. 'Shuyin? Sorry, no, he's not for sale. He's one of my personal servants- my newest one, in fact, and he's still got a couple of millennia left to go on his contract.'

'What's the deal with him, anyway?' Riku asked. 'Another one who signed his soul away?'

'Yeah, something like that.' Hades said. 'What's he been saying to you?'

Riku missed the 'stop talking _now'_ look that Axel threw him as he continued. 'He said he used to live near Hollow Bastion, and he was in the army. Apart from that, he's said nothing that wasn't either an instruction or a veiled insult.'

'I don't suppose he wants to talk about it.' Hades stood up, a nasty glint of triumph in his eye. 'I wouldn't either, if I was him.'

'You're proud of yourself?' Riku said, angrily.

'Damn right I'm proud. It's not often you get two souls through one deal, especially a deal so deliciously ironic.'

Hades began to gesticulate, always a sign that he was reliving a particularly fond memory. 'The city he lived in… well, I'll spare you the politics. It got into a war with its neighbouring city. Problem for our kid Shuyin was that he'd spent some time in said neighbouring city, and met a rather pretty girl, name of Lenne.'

With a flick of his wrist, foggy stick-figures appeared, illustrating the story. 'She was in the other city's army- that's actually how they met, which is kinda cute, if you think about it- and of course she got called back to fight. This was sort of a true-love thing, so many tearful goodbyes, promises, etcetera etcetera. That wasn't enough for Shuyin, though.' A foggy Hades appeared between the two figures.

'I ask him if there's anything I could do. He says yes, keep her safe. Nothing about how, or where, just 'keep her safe.'' Both the Hades-figure and Hades himself grinned. 'Some people just let themselves in for these things, don't they?'

A cage appeared around the Lenne-figure. 'So she goes into the Underworld. Alive, of course, so technically safe. Which means Shuyin's cost his true love the chance of any kind of life, he's made a bad situation infinitely worse, and, oh yeah, I own his soul now.' The figures dispersed as Hades nodded to Axel. 'Pretty cool, wouldn't you say?'

'Nice,' Axel said, grinning. 'Ever thought of joining the Organization yourself?'

'Hey, I was modelling the full-black robes look before you kids were even around,' Hades responded.

Riku stepped between the two of them. 'If you're done with the mutual admiration, could we please return to business?' Both Hades and Axel turned to look at him, Axel annoyed, Hades amused.

'Little sensitive there, Riku?' Hades asked. 'You asked what his story is, and I told you.'

'You didn't have to enjoy telling it so much, though.'

'Ah, is that what this is about?' Hades walked towards Riku. 'You think I'm a horrible person. Well, you're right. I am a horrible person. I take souls, I destroy lives, and I get huge amounts of pleasure doing it.' The smile faded from his face. 'But you're the one who's buying those souls from me, so cut the holier-than-thou crap.'

Riku glared at Hades, but didn't reply. Axel moved towards the pair. 'Okay, if that's all dealt with, there's the small matter of payment. What did we give you last time?'

Hades thought for a second. 'It was some of those clothes Vexen made, wasn't it? The disguise cloaks… well, they looked more like tents on some of the demons down here. I can't tell you how useful it is for the guys to be able to walk around in public on the surface without people screaming and running away.' He held out a hand. 'Got any new inventions?'

'Ah, no,' Axel said. 'Vexen spent most of the last three years working on a way to clone people from memories, but his methods kind of depended on having an easily-controllable memory witch around. We can make a rough copy of someone, but they can only repeat a few phrases, and they last about half an hour. And… well, let's just say Vexen won't be inventing much of anything in the future.'

Hades looked at Axel in mock sympathy. 'He's dead? Shame, I quite liked him.' He moved towards Axel, an idea beginning to form. 'How did you get here, anyway? I thought the Keyblade Master put all the world barriers back up.'

'Well, Ixion had the foresight to install portals on all the major worlds while the barriers were down. We can move between the worlds on trains, although we've only got a few carriages…'

He looked at Hades' expression. 'Ah.'

'Don't suppose you can spare one? That would be… well, that'd be easily worth three souls.'

Axel nodded. 'I'd have to check with Diz, but we could probably find something.'

'It's… well, only having this world to explore was okay before I knew there were other worlds out there. But knowing there's millions and millions of sinners out there, and some other god's getting them… well, it's not fun.' Hades looked out at the mountains of Tartarus. 'Come back tomorrow, I'll see what I can find.'

'Will do. Where are we staying, then?'

Hades waved a hand vaguely. 'Ask Shuyin, he'll show you.'

Axel motioned to Riku. 'I think Hades wants some time alone while he works out exactly how many more souls he's going to get. Come on.'

Silently, Riku and Axel left the room, shutting the door behind them. As soon as Riku was sure he was out of Hades' earshot, he turned to Axel. 'What the hell is going on?'

'Funny, I was just about to ask you that,' Axel replied. 'How did you think we were going to persuade Hades to give up three of his hard-earned souls? Pay him? He's got all the money he needs.'

'So you think it's a good idea to open up all of the major worlds to that conniving little…' Riku trailed off. 'You heard what he did to Shuyin. Do you want him to be able to profit from the miseries of twenty other worlds, as well?'

'Why not?' Axel sighed. 'Look, you're just going to have to accept that this is the Organization. If it benefits us, we do it. Consequences are for people like your friend Sora to deal with.'

'I didn't get rid of Ansem to do evil on someone else's behalf, Axel.' Riku stepped ahead of him. 'Don't try and force me.'

'Try? No.' Suddenly, Axel's weapons were in his hands. 'I thought we'd established that I _could _make you do anything the Organization wanted. Or did you forget about our little hostage on Destiny Islands?'

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Riku turned and walked down the stairs, leaving Axel behind.

* * *

He hadn't spoken to anyone for hours. Shuyin took him to his room silently- Riku wondered whether he'd been eavesdropping on their conversation with Hades, as he seemed more subdued, avoiding looking Riku in the eye.

The room looked out onto Tartarus, and the wind that blew through the various holes in the walls carried with it the distant moans of its denizens. _Don't know how we're expected to sleep, _Riku thought. _Of course, to Hades, this is probably like a chorus of lullabies._

The reading material on offer was bound in huge, leather volumes, and was mainly Hades' painstaking accounts of all the souls he'd tricked over the millennia. Riku put the one he was flicking through down, having decided that he'd rather have nothing to do than read another sequence of 'good person, slight flaw, flaw exploited, soul taken', and moved over to the window.

_How did you get here again, Riku? _he thought, as a harpy circled the distant mountains. _The honoured guest of a murderer, overseen by a maniac with a hidden agenda, and slowly developing powers that you don't even understand, let alone know how to use… you swore you'd never let the Ansem thing happen again, but not a day after you got rid of that psycho you joined up with a whole bunch of new ones. Only difference is, they're obsessed with neutrality instead of darkness._

_I'm only doing this until Sora comes back. _Riku smiled for a second. _The second he finds out that Kairi's being held hostage, he's going to flip out. The Organization won't know what hit them._

_And until then?_

_I can't just quit the Organization. They'd kill me, and if they couldn't find me they'd kill Mickey and Kairi. _He sighed. _I'm way over my head here, I know._

He sat by the window for hours, empty-eyed, looking at nothing in particular. Eventually, he got to his feet, as if a decision had suddenly been made. Buckling the Soul Eater around his waist, he descended the stairs that led to the servants' rooms.

* * *

'Have you got a minute?'

Shuyin looked up from his task- he was writing something on a scroll, probably another of Hades' documents. 'What?'

Riku sat down next to him. 'I want to help you. I heard about how you got here, about you and Lenne, and I think I can help you out.' When Shuyin didn't answer, he walked around the desk towards him. 'I'm serious.'

'You shouldn't have asked Hades,' Shuyin said, angrily. 'I… I screwed up, but that's my business, not yours. Just go back to the surface- you can't help. You don't understand.'

'What I don't understand,' Riku replied, his voice steely, 'is why you're doing everything you can to avoid getting the love of your life back and undoing the contract. If you want to stay down here for a couple of thousand years, just say so, but I'd hoped you'd have more of a spine than that-'

'You think I don't want to?' Shuyin got up, slamming his chair back. 'Thanks for the offer, Riku, but you've got no idea what you're talking about. You can't go against Hades in his own world and expect to win, and if you think that two thousand years is a long service you should just _see _the contracts of the people who went against him.'

There was a pause, and then Shuyin continued, in a quieter tone. 'Thanks, but there's nothing you can do.'

'I think there is.' Riku looked him in the eyes. 'Can I have a look at your contract?'

Shuyin sighed. With a crack of unfurling paper, a scroll appeared in his hand. Riku took it. 'That was quick.'

'We've got them with us at all times. One of Hades' ways of reminding us who we belong to.'

Riku looked down the scroll. 'Yeah, thought so. It says here that your soul belongs to Hades on condition that 'Lenne comes to no harm,' right? Technically, a cut on her finger would be enough to break the contract.'

'Look, I think I know what you're getting at, Riku, but she's under guard constantly.'

'And I have a weapon that can cut through anything.'

'I don't even know where she is- she's in the castle somewhere, that's all I know.'

'And I can track people by their aura.'

Shuyin sat back down, returning to his task. 'That's good, but even if you did manage to get to her, she's protected by some of Hades' oldest magic. It can't be done.'

'Try me.'

'I don't think your boss would be too happy if he found out about this.'

Riku laughed. 'Axel? He's not my boss. And, no, he wouldn't be too happy, but that's why I'm not going to let him find out.' He leaned closer to Shuyin. 'Say what you like, but I can help you get out of here, and to take Lenne with you. Look, I told Hades that I was a good guy. I'd like a chance to prove it- not to you, but to myself. Please?'

Silence for a few seconds, then Shuyin nodded. 'I'm going to trust you. Don't make me regret it.'

'I won't.' Riku sat down again. 'I'll need your help, though. Can you tell me a few things about Lenne, for a start?'

'Well, she's younger than me…' The distantness that Shuyin had shown earlier crept into his tone, as he continued. 'She's slightly short, dark-haired… she likes singing, she gets depressed sometimes, and… she's really cute when she's worried. She…'

'That should be enough, thanks,' Riku interrupted. 'One more thing. The signal that I've got her will be a bolt of lightning. When you see it, run like hell towards the main gates- I'll meet you there. If you're late… well, don't be late. I'd prefer to do this without being discovered.'

He moved to go. 'Are you sure you can do this?' Shuyin called after him.

_No._

'Yes, I am,' Riku said. 'Watch for the lightning.'

Shuyin nodded, and returned to his scroll. Riku headed downwards, towards Hades' catacombs.

_So… if I were an imprisoned girl, where would I be?_

* * *

Author's Notes-

Just a couple of what you might think are continuity errors. First of all, Hades could reach other worlds during the events of Kingdom Hearts, which is when he got Shuyin's soul. He couldn't before, and he can't now, which is why he wants access to them so much. Secondly, Charon said in the previous chapter that he'd never encountered anyone like Axel before, despite the fact that the Organization visited three years ago- this was a mistake on my part, but in retrospect they'd have teleported in anyway. The only reason they had to use Charon this time was that Riku can't teleport.

Originally, Lenne was going to be the character that Riku tries to help out, but with continued play of FFX-2 I realised that it'd have to be Shuyin. Their backstory here is kind of a KH-ification of their backstory in X-2, with Vegnagun replaced by Hades, and the Farplane replaced by Tartarus. (In both cases, Shuyin's meddling with things he doesn't understand in the name of love gets them both in worse trouble than they were to start off with.)

Sorry this chapter's so late. It got put on hiatus while I worked on my History and English coursework. I'll try and get Chapter 6 done quicker.

Chapter title is from 'Sandman'- specifically, issue four. That, however, is better-written.

(Incidentally, here's a fun game for you to play. The three shades that Hades demonstrates were all based on Final Fantasy characters. The first scientist is obvious, but what about the other two? Correct replies will get… oh, something, I don't know. I'd send cookies, but it's hard to get them down the phone line.)

**Ginger Ninja- **Axel is an unapologetic flirt. In HoP, in this, and in Chain of Memories. (He obviously considers himself God's gift to anything pretty with a pulse, no matter what gender.)

**Riiku- **Praise is always welcome. Thanks muchly. (I have yet to meet a Kingdom Hearts fan that wasn't madly in love with Axel towards the end of CoM- myself included.)

**Twilight Unknown- **Greek mythology was my earliest obsession. I must have been the only eight-year-old who came out of 'Hercules' complaining that they'd completely changed Hades' character and Hercules' backstory. Thanks for the review.

**Jade-chan- **I did think about putting in some Charon in-jokes- having him mention Amata, for example, or Zack- but decided that it wouldn't be funny to anyone outside of the comparatively small group that make up HoP. (Though I still want to get a line about 'clingy harpies' in there somewhere.)

Next chapter- Riku attempts to spring Lenne and Shuyin from their imprisonment, and Axel displays a side of his personality he hasn't shown before. Hint- fire is involved. See you next time, and, as always, thanks for reading.


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